Some people still question how genuine quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is about serving as a mentor to his eventual replacement. If there is any resentment toward rookie quarterback Trey Lance, it wasn't apparent during the No. 3 overall pick's touchdown pass to wide receiver Trent Sherfield on Saturday night.
Take a look at the following picture of Sherfield running toward the end zone. You can see Garoppolo in the background, which I highlighted for you in the tweet below. That is not the look of a quarterback hoping for his teammate to fail.
Jimmy Garoppolo's reaction to the Trey Lance to Trent Sherfield TD pass. #KCvsSF #49ers pic.twitter.com/0ICO8ULtPc
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) August 15, 2021
After the game, Garoppolo was asked about the mood on the sideline when the team saw Lance hit Sherfield deep downfield for the 80-yard score.
"It was awesome," Garoppolo said. "We kind of saw it coming, knowing the play and everything. I watched Trent the whole time, and he just broke the guy off, and Trey put a beautiful pass out there. It was really cool."
Added Garoppolo: "You've got a couple of different options (for targets), I guess. I think Trey picked the right one."
TREY LANCE. 80 YARDS.#KCvsSF #NFLPreseason pic.twitter.com/ixGwWzCcgj
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2021
Lance also spoke with reporters and was asked about the play that quickly went viral and got fans excited about the future. The rookie quarterback explained why he was a little worried that he wouldn't get the ball on target.
"He was my first look," Lance shared. "I was a little bit nervous coming around because the corner had gotten hands on him a little bit, so he was only at five to 10 yards, where typically, if he didn't have hands on him, he'd be already down the field at 15.
"But yeah, he made a great play, obviously. He set the angle perfectly, so for me, it was one of those situations. Obviously, I want to try to get the ball in his hands."
As for Garoppolo, the veteran quarterback was only in the game for a series, as expected. How did he evaluate his play during the limited action? Garoppolo finished the night 3-of-3 for 26 yards.
"I thought it was good," Garoppolo said. "Good to get back out there, kind of knock some of the rust off and everything. It was short, but I thought it was pretty productive. ... I just got the ball out quick. I kind of wanted to get hit a little bit but didn't get the opportunity. I guess that's a good thing."
Next weekend, the 49ers will travel to Southern California to play the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, August 22.
