Jimmy Garoppolo OK with the path he took to the Super Bowl
MIAMI — It wasn’t like Jimmy Garoppolo walked into training camp with the New England Patriots in 2014 expecting to beat out Tom Brady for the starting job. Making the jump from lower-level Eastern Illinois was tough enough, let alone thinking he was going to unseat a future Hall of Famer.
But there is a difference between counting on something unrealistic and doing everything imaginable to make even the impossible seem possible. In Garoppolo’s case, that mean fighting for the top job every day. It’s a mindset he brought to every meeting, film session and practice rep.
“Even when I got there day one, I wanted to be the starter,” said Garoppolo, who will lead the San Francisco 49ers into Super Bowl LIV on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. “ I was going to act as the starter, prepare as the starter.”
He never did win the starting job in New England, although he did win two games as a starter in relief of the suspended Brady in 2016. He was eventually traded to the 49ers in 2017, who almost immediately signed him to a franchise-caliber contract. After a knee injury limited his 2018 season to three games, he returned healthy this year to help advance San Francisco to the Super Bowl.
All of which raises the question: Did Garoppolo waste his time sitting behind Brady for nearly four years?
“There’s different ways to look at it,” Garoppolo said. “Personally, I think it’s tough to come into this league as a rookie and be a day one starter. How different the college game is from the pro game, it makes it difficult on guys. But then you have the other side of it. … I got to sit for 3½ years learning from Tom (Brady) and coach (Bill) Belichick. … I think it benefited me tremendously.”
Chiefs appear healthy
Four Kansas City Chiefs showed up on their first injury report on Wednesday, but all were full participants in the Chiefs’ first full workout ahead of Super Bowl LIV.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones (calf), tight ends Travis Kelce (knee) and Deon Yelder (Achilles tendon) and center Austin Reiter were listed on the report, but they all went though practice with no limitations.
Kansas City coach Andy Reid said Kelce was “fine” and Jones was “good to go.” He also anticipates both practicing Thursday.
Tevin Coleman back at practice
The 49ers appear to be getting healthy, with running back Tevin Coleman getting back on the field as a limited participant. Coleman suffered a broken collarbone in the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers and played just a handful of plays.
The injury set the stage for journeyman running back Raheem Mostert to come out of nowhere to run for 220 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries to help push the 49ers into the Super Bowl. But it looks like Coleman is on target to play on Sunday.
Linebacker Kwon Alexander (pectoral) and safety Jaquiski Tartt (ribs) were also listed as limited by the 49ers.
“They all got to go,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I’m expecting them to be good by Sunday.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.