49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo Fueled By 'Noise,' Asks For More

Unlike his salt and pepper hair and 5 o'clock shadow, there's not a whole lot that's sexy about Jimmy Garoppolo's game. But what is tantalizing is that Jimmy G has now led San Francisco to the second round of the NFL playoffs, a major accomplishment considering the fanbase and sometimes the coaching staff seem eager to give his job away to somebody else.

How does he deal with the doubters?

"I think a big part of it is just knowing who you are — as a player and a person, really," Garoppolo told NBC Sports' Peter King. "That will take you a long way. It's kind of a big part of just my mental game. I know what type of quarterback I am. I know what type of player I am in this league and where I stand."








Garoppolo's numbers rarely wow. He threw for just 172 yards and no touchdowns in Sunday's win over Dallas -- which is why fans and media can't resist clamoring for backup QB Trey Lance, the third pick in the draft last April.

And make no mistake, Jimmy G hears the whispers -- and uses them as motivation.

"All the noise out there and everything, keep it coming," Garoppolo told King. "It fuels me and it keeps me going. It's a good thing when people are talking about you."

What they should be chatting about is his overall success, not his passing stats. Garoppolo is 3-1 all-time in the playoffs and has a 33-14 mark as a starting quarterback. Those numbers, along with the intangibles that don't show up in the box score, are why teammates past and present continue to support the 30-year-old QB.

"Hope the (49ers) faithful show my guy (Jimmy Garoppolo) the love he deserves. There is a reason he has so much love and respect from his teammates," tweeted former teammate Richard Sherman.

Up next on the Garoppolo "quiet the noise" tour? A date with Green Bay Saturday evening. And FanDuel Sportsbook is providing Jimmy G's fuel for the weekend -- listing his Niners as 5.5 point underdogs.












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