San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke with reporters on Friday as the team kicks off training camp. Here is everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Is it officially official? You've been cleared?
"It's officially official. We're good to go."
How do you feel physically?
"Good, good. I'm really happy where I'm at. I think it was a very successful summer, got a lot done, a lot of different, just things we wanted to work on. It's really coming together now. Now it's time to roll."
How much work did you guys do as a group, quarterbacks, wide receivers, compared to a year ago?
"Very similar, actually. Whether it was work here, down in L.A., had a couple guys, or just throwing around here at local places. Just whenever you get a chance to do that, guys are all over the place, so it's difficult at times, but yeah, we got some time in."
What does this phase mean for you now, going full team drills, pass rush coming at you? What do you have to be more conscious of and how do you want to test the leg out, whether it's stepping into the pocket or mobility-wise?
"I think all those things will just happen kind of naturally. In practice, we try and make it as game-like as possible and everything. I think those moments, it's just a matter of time until they happen. When they do, I think we'll approach it and see how it goes."
Is there anything in particular that motion performance expert Tom House worked with you when you were down there?
"Nothing in particular. I mean, a bunch of different things. It was a really good session with him, that's for sure."
What receivers did you work out with from here?
"We had a group of guys here, L.A., we had a good group getting together and everything. Some running backs, tight ends were out there and everything."
What do you think has helped you the most mentally just going through what you went through last year and now going through the rehab and coming into the season with high expectations?
"I don't know if there's one thing in particular that sticks out. I think going through the process of seeing the game as a coach and seeing it from the angle will help me. But, as far as on the field, you want to get those live reps, so I think that'll be good, this training camp, getting that opportunity."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated that statically, and I guess from a production standpoint, you weren't quite the same early last year that you were in 2017. Kyle indicated that the offense as a whole probably wasn't playing as well. When you reflect on those few games, what's your take away? Early last year in 2018?
"I think there were some good and bad, obviously. We had a lot of young guys. There were a lot of variables coming together. I think guys having been in this offense for two, three years now, some of them and just getting more and more comfortable with the verbiage and everything like that, it's only gonna lead to good things."
How much better do you know the offense now than a year ago?
"I feel confident. The offense, I think, you could always keep learning. Kyle's been doing this for so many years that he knows it like the back of his hand, so that's really where I'm trying to get to as quickly as I can. That's the goal."
The last time we saw you, we were talking about the mental gap and the mental hurdle, being able to trust your knee again. Obviously, we've seen some of the workouts you've done this offseason. Have you made any progress in, like I said, trusting that knee and bridging that gap?
"Yeah, I feel very fortunate that I'm in the position I'm in. My knee feels good, I feel good going into it. I think mentally, I'm in a good spot. Now we've got to go out there and perform. That's what it's all about now."
Are you worried about once you see those pass rushers actually coming at you, now that you are cleared for contact, is that any concern in your mind?
"No, not really. That's football. It's part of the game."
It might seem like a simple, but is it really important for you to string 16 games together and actually have that sample size to build off of?
"Yeah, you want to be out there playing, especially at quarterback. There's only one of you, so when you get that opportunity, you want to be the guy out there. I think taking it week-by-week, game-by-game and you can't look too far ahead, obviously, or you'll get yourself in trouble. I think I've got to get through a good training camp healthy and everything and I think we'll be in a good spot."
Do you think you have something to prove, to yourself even?
"I think I always do. I hold myself to a pretty high standard. So, I'm always pushing myself. How can I get better? What are my weak spots that I can improve on? Things like that. That's the game. You've got to love that part of it."
Kyle said you won't play in the exhibition opener. Do you need preseason snaps in those games to get ready?
"I think that's kind of something that you feel out through training camp. See how practice is going, the reps that we're getting in those. Preseason is a little different than a normal game, so whatever the coaches think, training staff come up with, I'll be ready for it."
When you were in New England, what was the message from New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick or who else was giving it about managing expectations and how difficult is it to tune out the noise?
"It's just kind of part of the job, I guess. I don't know, you just kind of get used to it. It's a good problem to have, that's one thing I'll say. If people aren't talking about you, then you're really not doing anything. It's, I don't know, just kind of comes with the job, I guess."
Did you notice a change when they switched the strength and conditioning and medical staff over during the rehabilitation?
"I think those guys have been doing a great job. The new staff, all those guys kind of coming together and working together, whether it's the trainers and the strength staff, or whatever it may be, it's a lot of moving pieces. So, for all those to work so well together, it's always a good thing. I think we've got a good group put in place here."
It seems like teams are doing more joint practices with other squads every summer. Has that become an addition, another preseason game, like would that sort of replace a preseason game that you might not be playing?
"Yeah, those practices, I mean, they get heated now a little more than preseason games probably in general do. I love that stuff, especially when you get three, four days against a team, you really get to compete against each other. That's the fun part of this. Training camp can get tough at times, you're going against the same defense day after day after day. Then finally, you get a little break and a little change up and get to hit someone else. That's always a good thing."
Has the change of strength and training staffs been, have you noticed a marked difference between the way they operate, the new guys?
"Not so much with us. Maybe behind the scenes and things like that, but as far as with us, it's pretty similar. They have their set plan for guys, whether inured or whatnot. We go about it as we usually do."
How did you receive the message from Kyle Shanahan earlier this offseason when he said, "We've built the culture, it's time to win?"
"I mean, he's right. Bottom line, that's what this game is about. It's about production, going out there and getting wins, and playing good football out on the field. It's that time of year again. Can't wait now."
Heading into this training camp, you guys are going to have a luxury of wealth at the running back position. Running an offense that uses the running back so much, what do you expect that to be like, just that battle at running back and how much you're looking forward to seeing that play out?
"It'll be good for all those guys. Competition at any position is always, it leads to better play on the field. I think having a group like that, having such a tight-knit running back group, too, on top of that, it's kind of a pick your poison type of thing. Whoever's in there, they all have different traits and talents that they're good at. I think Kyle putting them in good spots to be successful, that's what he does best. My job is to just get them the ball and let those guys do what they do."
Are you able to do the same things with RB Tevin Coleman that you were doing last offseason with RB Jerick McKinnon? Are they similar in that way?
"Yeah, very similar. They're similar players, actually. I mean, Tevin's a little taller and everything, but how they play is very similar. The explosives they come out of the cuts with, they're able to run routes, catch the ball. It's unique for running backs, so to have two guys like that, it's a pretty nice luxury."
Last year, at this time, you had never been beaten, you just signed your contract, you were the greatest quarterback ever. Now you're dealing with "Is he durable enough? Those starts last year were not quite as magical as 2017." I mean, you know all this stuff. Does it add any fuel to you, just to prove yourself again?
"It's crazy what a year can do. I have so much motivation in myself and I push myself so much that that's all I need. All the noise on the outside, you kind of just tune it out and it is what it is. It's always going to be there. So, like I said before, it's a good thing when people are talking about you."
Now that training camp is here, what were you thinking when you got up this morning? What was on your mind when you got up?
"I was excited, I was. Coaches were texting you, you see everyone in the locker room and pulling up and everything. There's an excitement in the air, and there should be. It's an exciting time of year."
How would you characterize your leadership style?
"Just kind of myself. I don't know. I've always tried to be myself and never change too much. I think guys in that locker room see right through if you're being fake, so I just try to be myself."
