Imagine only playing seven full games in your career, but already etching your name into history, that is what happened to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. After a trade with the Patriots last season brought Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers, the 49ers won their last five games of the season. Garoppolo was a free agent at the end of the 2017 season leaving the 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan with a choice to make. Earlier in the season, it was predicted that Kirk Cousins would be the focus of the 49ers due to the history with Shanahan, but Garoppolo looked stellar and brought the attention to him. The 49ers acted and signed Garoppolo to a five year, $137,500,000 contract this off-season. Garoppolo’s deal is the most lucrative contract in NFL history, and it left many questioning the signing. After only seven career starts it is easy to see what Jimmy Garoppolo could be, but the sample size doesn’t show much to his consistency. The 49ers are betting on Garoppolo to keep up this level of play and lead them on a path to success.

Jimmy Garoppolo is joining a San Francisco 49ers organization that is rich with history. In the late 1980s and 90s, the 49ers won 4 super bowls behind all-time great quarterback Joe Montana. Since the Joe Montana era the 49ers haven’t returned to their championship status, but with the signing of Garoppolo, they hope to reclaim their spot among the league’s best teams.

There has been a long history of backup quarterbacks becoming stars when given the opportunities, Aaron Rodgers was the backup to NFL great Brett Favre for years becoming one of the best in the league. Tom Brady was a backup to Drew Bledsoe until an injury thrust him into the starting role where he led them to the Patriots first Super Bowl Championship. Nick Foles was handed the starting job after an injury to Carson Wentz ended his season, Foles led the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl Championship this past season. The 49ers hope that this history of success continues with former backup quarterback  Jimmy Garoppolo leading the way.