'It's a special feeling': Arlington Heights native Garoppolo revels in victory over Bears
With one heave of the football, Jimmy Garoppolo released a season's worth of frustration.
No, it didn't come on a 50-yard hookup with Deebo Samuel late in the first half of San Francisco's 33-22 victory over the Bears (3-5) at Soldier Field on Sunday.
And no, it didn't come on a quick-hitting screen play to Samuel that gained 83 yards.
It came, instead, a moment after Garoppolo plunged into the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown run that gave the Niners (3-4) a 30-22 lead with 2:58 remaining. Garoppolo, who played at Rolling Meadows High School and Eastern Illinois University, got to his feet and unleased a bullet into the stands.
"My college roommates were sitting in that end zone," said a smiling Garoppolo, "so hopefully one of them caught it. There's just so much emotion."
It's been a character-testing season for Garoppolo because everyone knows it's just a matter of time until rookie Trey Lance, the third pick of the draft, takes over.
But Garoppolo showed Sunday he's still got what it takes to lead an NFL offense.
With more than 100 friends and family in attendance, the Arlington Heights native completed 17 of 28 passes for 322 yards and scored 2 rushing TDs.
"It means a lot, you know?" Garoppolo said. "Every game does, but coming back to your hometown and city - it carries a little different feel to it. It really does.
"Just landing in the city, pulling into the city. All that good stuff. It's a special feeling. It's a good day."
Not that things started off very well, as Garoppolo was just 10-for-18 for 113 yards as the first half drew to a close.
Garoppolo then delivered a gorgeous rainbow of a pass that Samuel hauled in for a 50-yard gain. It got the Niners into field-goal range and cut the Bears' lead to 13-9.
The momentum really swung on the Niners' opening drive of the second half when Samuel took a simple screen pass on third-and-19 and raced down the sideline for a whopping 83 yards. Three plays later, Garoppolo turned a busted play into a touchdown when he dove in from 2 yards out on third-and-goal.
"I knew where the play was designed to go," said Garoppolo, who celebrated that TD with an old-school spike. "I tried to give it to Deebo. I said, 'Go, go, go!' We both kind of froze for a second.
"But it was plays like that today - not perfect, but whatever it takes."
Which has been the story of Garoppolo's entire career, dating all the way back to 2008 and 2009 when he was at Rolling Meadows. He left high school with very few collegiate offers, and ended up selecting EIU over Illinois State and Montana State.
After a sensational four years with the Panthers, Garoppolo was drafted in the second round by the Patriots and sat behind Tom Brady for three years. Garoppolo's big chance came when he was traded to the Niners and he led them to the Super Bowl two years ago.
He only played in six games last year, however, and now knows his time in San Francisco will almost certainly be over after this season.
Still, he was all smiles with the press in the postgame interview room, especially when he pointed out that his sophomore basketball coach - Anthony Como - was in attendance.
"I love coming back here, I love this city," Garoppolo said. "It's a fun place to play, man."
Como, who isn't coaching anymore but is a football and basketball announcer, is hardly surprised his former player has kept such a positive attitude through the trying times.
"I love everything he's done about handling all of it," Como said. "He's been a real class act, but I wouldn't have expected anything differently. Honestly. ...
"He and his family are just grounded that way. I've been really impressed with that time and time again - just to focus on what he can control and keep being the great guy he's been."