San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Garoppolo says goodbye to 49ers fans, hints he'll be traded

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 2/1/22

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan raised eyes on Tuesday when he suggested the team could keep veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and 2021 No. 3 overall draft pick Trey Lance on the roster for another year. Most expect the club will trade Garoppolo this offseason so Lance can begin preparations for the 2022 NFL season comfortably atop the depth chart.

"If we knew exactly what was happening, we'd have told Jimmy," Shanahan explained during his media availability.

As The Athletic's David Lombardi shared, however, Garoppolo seemed to offer zero doubt that Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game was his final appearance in a 49ers jersey for this stage of his career.

Jimmy Garoppolo speaking with much more finality about the situation than Lynch or Shanahan, who kept all options on the table.

"I was talking to John the other day about finding the right destination... I just want to go with a place where they want to win."
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 1, 2022

Jimmy Garoppolo arrived at the 49ers facility in 2017. SF was 0-8 at the time. Based on the way he's speaking, this is almost certainly his end of the road with the team.

Garoppolo: "I wanted to leave the place better than when I got here."
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 1, 2022

Lance repeatedly spoke fondly of Garoppolo throughout his first pro season, and Jimmy G. returned the favor on Tuesday.

Jimmy Garoppolo on Trey Lance: "He has a bright future. I wish him nothing but the best moving forward."
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 1, 2022

Garoppolo then offered a classy farewell to the San Francisco fan base he first encountered as a member of the organization following his midseason trade in the fall of 2017.

Here’s Jimmy Garoppolo’s final goodbye to 49ers fans: pic.twitter.com/tuf7k0Xk7f
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 1, 2022

According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Garoppolo added he believes "things will happen pretty quickly" regarding his future. However, it was reported Monday the 30-year-old will be sidelined for four to six weeks after he has surgery to repair the torn ligament and chipped bone in his right (throwing) thumb he suffered shortly before Christmas.

That procedure could keep him attached to the 49ers until after the new league year opens on March 16.

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