All your favorite teams and sources in one place

Build your feed

Your Teams.
All Sources.

Build your feed

© 2024 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC.

No results found.
Joe Montana backs Jimmy Garoppolo as 49ers starting QB
Jimmy Garoppolo's status with the San Francisco 49ers remains up in the air as free agency looms. (Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports)

Joe Montana backs Jimmy Garoppolo as 49ers starting QB

SAN FRANCISCO (BVM) – After seemingly handing over the keys to second-year quarterback Trey Lance to start the season, the San Francisco 49ers ended their pursuit of a Super Bowl in 2022 in a much different position than even the team’s brass could have predicted heading into the campaign.

Following year-ending injuries to both Lance in Week 2 and Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy proved that the starting job wasn’t too big for the recent draft’s “Mr. Irrelevant,” who posted a flawless 5-0 record after taking over the reins of the team’s offense. While his play presented an interesting shakeup at the position, big picture questions began to surround the future of the position as Purdy continued to rattle off wins.

Joe Montana Jimmy Garoppolo
Joe Montana offered his choice on the San Francisco 49ers quarterback position heading forward. (Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)

Those same questions have only gotten even more complicated after the elbow injury Purdy sustained during the team’s playoff matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. With an unannounced timeline on his possible return to action next season, the 49ers will have to work through all scenarios at the position over the coming months. With many expecting both Purdy and Lance to maintain their spots atop the team’s depth chart, 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana offered his opinion when asked about the team’s future quarterback.

“I start Jimmy,” Montana told Mike Silver on the Open Mike podcast. “How many games has Jimmy won? For the longest time, questions were out with Jimmy for a while. But the one thing he has been able to do is win games for those guys. Yeah, he’ll make a mistake here and there, but some of those things I don’t just put on Jimmy… I don’t think it’s hard, I just start Jimmy.”

It’s not the first time in recent seasons that Garoppolo has been at the front of trade and free agent speculation heading into an offseason, but the recent injury to Purdy certainly complicates the team’s plans. While Montana believes Garoppolo should remain the team’s starter heading forward, head coach Kyle Shanahan recently offered a different perspective on his impending future. 

“No, I don’t see any scenario of that,” Shanahan said of Garoppolo returning in his season ending press conference

With Lance in line to return for next season, the quarterback battle will likely come down to the 2021 first-round draft pick and this year’s playoff starter. While Montana proposed Garoppolo as his choice, another 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback came away impressed by Purdy’s steady hand and thinks his play hand can continue in future.“What he’s done so far in five games is kind of replicable,” Young said of Purdy on BVM Sports’ Simple Question before the playoffs. “There might be some oil leaking on the edges in either direction, but generally, I think what you see is what you get, and that’s probably a really good thing.”