In the wake of Super Bowl LIV, Jimmy Garoppolo received considerable criticism for his performance, particularly late in the game. Jimmy G threw two interceptions, finished with just 219 passing yards, and was unable to stop the bleeding during Kansas City’s 21-point fourth-quarter explosion.
San Francisco tight end George Kittle, however, felt the criticism was unwarranted.
“People just like to hate,” Kittle said on The DA Show. “That’s just what it is. We don’t get to the Super Bowl without Jimmy G. We just don’t. The plays that he made throughout the season to get guys the ball, to put us in situations to win games, we don’t do that without him. So the criticism that he gets is unwarranted, in my opinion. Everyone has a couple bad plays here or there. His are just more highlighted because he’s the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. I make just as many mistakes as he does. I’m not worried about it. Jimmy is one hell of a quarterback, and I’m looking forward to sharing the field with him again.”
Garoppolo, a second-round pick in 2014, signed a five-year, $137.5 million contract in 2018. He led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his first full season as an NFL starter.
“Jimmy is a guy that, I don’t think he really lets anything affect him,” Kittle said. “He’s just going to show up and do his job, and he’s going to do it really well. Me and [Richard] Sherman don’t need to shoot him a text, ‘Hey, are you doing okay?’ He’s doing fine. He’s training, he’s hanging out with his brothers, he’s getting better every day – I’m just looking forward to being able to play football again.”
Kittle, 26, is a two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro. He has more receiving yards (2,945) through the first three seasons of his career than any tight end in NFL history. He believes the 49ers have a good chance of getting back to the Super Bowl next year.
“Losing the Super Bowl is probably one of the worst things I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “But I get the opportunity to play football day in and day out, and my goal is to win a Super Bowl. I’m just going to keep playing until I can do that. It’s hard to get there, but with the team I’m on and the guys we have in the locker room, I think we have a chance to do it again. I’m just looking forward to being back on the football field. That’s what gets me through it. I know that I’m not done yet and I can keep playing.”