Shanahan: Garoppolo was on way to Super Bowl MVP before 4th quarter
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan held their end-of-season press conference Thursday and discussed the way their campaign ended at Super Bowl LIV.
The pair remains supportive of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was just 3-for-11 for 36 yards and an interception during his final four drives in the 31-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
"The same as it was the day before the Super Bowl. There's no (difference)," Shanahan said when asked how he feels about Garoppolo. "He was on his way, close to Super Bowl MVP.
"And we all know we all didn't make those plays at the end. But we made those plays all year, our whole team, and that's one of the reasons we were there. And whenever you don't make those plays at the end of a game like that, first and foremost the quarterback's going to get attacked and then usually the play-caller. We understand that's how it goes."
Shanahan shut down any talk of moving on from the six-year pro, noting it was Garoppolo's first full season as a starter and that he still has fewer starts at quarterback than Cleveland Browns sophomore Baker Mayfield.
"I think Jimmy's one of the main reasons we got to the Super Bowl ... I think he had a hell of a first year, truly playing the position, especially coming off an ACL, where you have to fight through that a ton as a quarterback," Shanahan said.
He added: "I can't tell you how much I loved coaching the guy as a player and as a person this year."