Kyle Shanahan: Jimmy Garoppolo has ability to be one of best QBs of all time

The San Francisco 49ers briefly considered signing Tom Brady in free agency before committing to Jimmy Garoppolo as their quarterback of the future. San Francisco has been committed to Garoppolo ever since they acquired him from the New England Patriots in 2017, and head coach Kyle Shanahan recognizes how important the young quarterback will be to their offense in the future.

"When you have to talk to Jimmy about one of the best quarterbacks of all time being available, I know Jimmy has a goal to be that," Shanahan said Thursday, via NBC Sports Bay Area. "I know Jimmy. I believe Jimmy has the ability to be that and that's what both of us are going for. If we can get him there and he has the ability to do it, we're going to be pretty happy with who we have for a long time."

Shanahan added that he's seen a new side of Garoppolo after he spent all of last year's offseason rehabbing from an ACL injury. He also noted that Garoppolo is 100% focused on the 2020 campaign after falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl last season. 

However, it's hard to say if Garoppolo will become one of the best quarterbacks of all time. After all, he just played his first full season in 2019 after suffering an ACL injury and being a backup in New England for a few season before being traded. 

Shanahan isn't necessarily wrong, though, and Garoppolo has the opportunity to be the best quarterback San Francisco has seen since Joe Montana and Steve Young.

The 49ers have a few different storylines surrounding their 2020 season, but Garoppolo's performance will be among the most heavily scrutinized. They could get off to a hot start, though, against the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets and Giants with the potential to go 3-0 against those teams.

There's a very real possibility the 49ers return to the Super Bowl this coming season, but now they'll not only have to go through Russell Wilson and Drew Brees, but Brady as well.