Jimmy Garoppolo was close to getting to his second Superbowl in the last three seasons. The San Francisco 49ers would fall to the LA Rams 20-17 in the NFC Conference Championship. Garoppolo came in life-time 6-0 as a starter versus the Rams before that championship game last Sunday night. It is very hard to beat a team three times in one season and then expect to win on the road for the second time against your arch rival in a championship game. Garoppolo won on the road versus the Cowboys in Dallas. Garoppolo did the unthinkable and won in the snow on the road on Lambeau field versus Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Both games the 49ers were not favored in. All’s Jimmy does is win most of his games when he is behind center as he is 33-14 as a starter in regular season. Garoppolo is 4-2 as a starter in post-season play. Why does Jimmy Garoppolo have to always look back to see the organization replacement in his rear view mirror? This happened to another Jim back in the 1980’s. Jim McMahon, the punky QB who helped the Bears win their only Superbowl, was then shoved out the door.

Jim McMahon played seven seasons for the Chicago Bears with a crazy regular season record of 46-15 behind center. McMahon led the Bears in 1985 and was perfect in the post-season including the Superbowl win over the Patriots. McMahon’s post-season record with the Bears would end up at 3-2 after 7 seasons as he was traded to the San Diego Chargers. McMahon would only play one season as a Charger. After that McMahon would basically become a back-up quarterback. McMahon did have two more fantastic seasons in other uniforms. In 1991, McMahon went 8-3 behind center for the Eagles during the regular season due to injury to their starter. In 1993, McMahon would lead the Vikings to playoffs as he went 8-4 as a starter that season. McMahon would start the playoff game for Minnesota but came away with a loss. McMahon as a starter was 67-30 for his career and went 3-3 in the post season.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s career numbers so far through 8 seasons have him passing for 11, 852 yards with 71 touchdown passes to 38 interceptions. Jim McMahon’s Bears numbers through 7 seasons have him passing for 11, 203 yards with 67 touchdown passes and 56 interceptions. Both have similar numbers. Jimmy Garoppolo has the better completion percentage at 67.7 % while Jim McMahon was only completing 57.8% of his passes as a Bear. Obviously Garoppolo has more TD passes and less interceptions. Both Jimmies throw too many picks. Both win a lot of ugly games. Both have been injured and the teams without them have not faired too well. Why did the Bears not repeat after winning in 1985? The Bears had Walter Payton and that great defense. Jim McMahon would only play six games the season after the Bears won the Superbowl because of Charles Martin of the Green Bay Packers.

McMahon won all six games he played in the season after the Superbowl. Jimmy Garoppolo was hurt in the 2020 season, only played in six games, and the 49ers did not make it to the playoffs.

Both Jimmy Garoppolo and Jim McMahon win games because of their leadership on the field. Teams would follow both quarterbacks through a natural disaster expecting them to lead them to the promise land. Why did San Francisco draft Trey Lance in the first round? Why did the Bears ponce on Doug Flutie when he became available after the USFL folded?

Doug Flutie and Trey Lance are both quarterbacks that can also make plays with their legs. Both McMahon and Garoppolo would run to get the extra yard for the first or a touchdown at the goal line if needed and at the same time take on the hit. Injuries were not in the minds of Garoppolo or McMahon because they played the game like they were on the playground and did things not in the script to win games. Sure these non-scripted plays hurt both Jimmies because they both have thrown bad interceptions. The Bears and the 49ers’ thought process was get mobile quarterbacks to run and pass and avoid the bigger hits to stay healthy. Every game the announcers would say the same thing this post season, about what would the 49ers do if they did get to the Superbowl and won the entire thing. Would Jimmy Garoppolo get another contract with the 49ers? Would Jim McMahon have stayed longer in Chicago if he did not violently get body slammed by Charles Martin and led the Bears back to the Superbowl to repeat or even if they lost?

You could say that both have had a good defense behind them. The 1985 Bears were one of the best defenses of all-time. Jim McMahon had one of the best running backs of all-time in Walter Payton. The 49ers have had a slew of running backs that do very well in their offensive scheme. I will say Elijah Mitchell for the 49ers looks like the real deal. Jim McMahon had the speedster wide receiver Willie Gault and the go route worked well with this combo.

Jimmy Garoppolo had the beast at wide receiver/running back in Deebo Samuel this season. He was a big weapon of mass destruction for the 49ers.

Even Hall of Fame quarterbacks need weapons to throw to or a running game to take pressure off them. And, a good defense does not hurt. Both Jimmies always had to look over their shoulders because the coaching staff or front office thought the team needed something better. Jimmy Garoppolo might have to resurface somewhere else. Trey Lance will eventually take over for Garoppolo. Did Doug Flutie ever win the Superbowl? No. Is Jalen Hurts the answer in Philadelphia? Lamar Jackson seems to be crumbling right in front of our eyes for the Ravens. If a team has some good weapons and a good defense, adding Jimmy Garoppolo could be a team’s ticket to the Superbowl. No other quarterback in Chicago ever won the Superbowl, as Jim McMahon did that. The San Francisco 49ers could add more defense and another play maker with Jimmy still behind center to even become that much better. Maybe just a good back-up for these injury prone quarterbacks with big winning percentages that can take over for a few games until they return. Be careful what you wish for because if Jimmy goes elsewhere, someone will look back at what he has done winning all those games and wonder what the hell did the 49ers do. Jimmy Garoppolo’s words to himself for his future whereever he lands should be the Boston song, “Don’t Look Back.”