San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was seen having a heated sideline conversation with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after throwing an interception in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings — but apparently it was something Garoppolo needed in order to refocus.
The Niners six-play opening drive ended abruptly when a pass intended for Deebo Samuel was picked off by Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
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Shanahan told reporters after the game that the pick was “inexcusable” and that he “started off not great” but he explained the importance of talking to Garoppolo face-to-face after the interception.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) hands the ball off to San Francisco 49ers running back Eli Mitchell (25) in the end zone during the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
(Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“I just wanted him to hear directly from me,” he said, via Yahoo Sports. “On a headset, I’m talking to coaches and they can pass along information. I just told him the obvious, what he missed and told him to let it go and we’re going to come right back to you and we need you to be aggressive for the rest of the game. And he was and he handled it right.”
Garoppolo echoed that sentiment, adding that their exchange wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
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“Just like normal, he always approaches me face-to-face with it,” he said. “Just really, I had to get to my check down. It wasn’t what we were looking for and I tried to be aggressive on it. But yeah, just can’t do that, it wasn’t a good decision.”
He continued: “I have to be better than that with it. Just take the check down. They were giving those to us early and I just need to be more efficient with those.”
Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers looks to pitch the ball back to Elijah Mitchell #25 in the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Levi’s Stadium on Nov. 28, 2021 in Santa Clara, California.
(Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Garoppolo threw for 230 yards and a TD, but the Niners once again did more of their work on the ground with Samuel’s two scores making him the first receiver since the merger to run for five TDs in a season. Samuel had six carries for 66 yards and also caught one pass for 15 yards before leaving with a groin injury in Sunday’s 34-26 victory.
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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo gets a headset on for his post game interview at the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
(Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The pressure will be on Garoppolo to perform this season. According to the NFL Network, absent a Super Bowl run, the Niners plan to trade him in the offseason to make room for Trey Lance.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.