The Garoppolo family seemingly still has some beef with Kyle Shanahan.
Almost two full seasons after Jimmy Garoppolo’s underwhelming tenure with the 49ers came to an unceremonious end, the quarterback’s brother reveled in San Francisco’s weather-challenged 12-6 loss to the Rams on Thursday night — with Jimmy backing up Los Angeles starter Matthew Stafford.
“Offensive guru,” Billy Garoppolo wrote over a picture of Shanahan on his Instagram Story, adding several crying laughing emojis.
In case it wasn’t clear how the younger Garoppolo brother felt, he posted “Let’s go Rams!” earlier in the night as well.
Jimmy, once the supposed heir to Tom Brady’s Patriots kingdom, was traded to San Francisco during the 2017 season, kicking off an injury-marred and, at times, offensively challenged stint with the 49ers.
Garoppolo did guide the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2020.
Brock Purdy’s emergence from behind Garoppolo and Trey Lance, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft, helped end the prolonged quarterback soap opera in San Francisco.
Garoppolo went on to sign a three-year $67.5 million contract with the Raiders before the 2023 season, but flamed out spectacularly — making just six starts with the team before a two-game PED suspension and declining production made him an easy roster cut.
Now 33, Garoppolo has operated in relative obscurity as the Rams’ backup behind Stafford after signing a one-year deal in March.
“We kind of talked about the reset thing and he said, ‘It’s probably what I kind of needed to take a deep breath, to learn a new system, to be in a new place, a new culture and all that stuff,’” Rams assiantat Jerry Schuplinski told ESPN for a story published earlier this month. “And he just seems like he’s in a good place. He’s at ease. He’s enjoying his time and he’s really putting in the work.”
At 8-6 after Thursday’s win, Garoppolo’s Rams are in the hunt for a playoff spot — while the 6-8 49ers are likely to miss the playoffs and providing some fodder for the likes of his younger brother.
