Jimmy Garoppolo draws online furor over viral smiling moment in 49ers’ blowout loss

Jimmy Garoppolo draws online furor over viral smiling moment in 49ers’ blowout loss

Jimmy Garoppolo’s facial expressions irked NFL fans on Sunday as his 49ers got blown out by the Eagles, 31-7, in this year’s NFC Championship game.

With the 31-year-old Garoppolo still sidelined as he recovers from a broken foot sustained in Week 13 of the regular season, 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy got the start against Philadelphia — only to exit in the first half with an elbow injury, paving the way for fourth-stringer Josh Johnson.

Things continued to go from bad to worse for San Francisco. Johnson suffered a concussion in the second half, prompting Purdy to re-enter the game despite limited throwing ability as a result of the injury. An inactive Garoppolo remained on the sidelines, where cameras spotted the former second-round pick smiling at different moments of the lopsided contest, which drew furor from fans on social media.

“Wow. Jimmy Garoppolo is smiling on the bench right now? Yikes,” one user tweeted Sunday, while another wrote, “I’m not a 49ers fan, but Jimmy Garoppolo smiling on the sidelines bothered me.”

One viewer also remarked, “Jimmy Garoppolo is smiling a lot for someone on a team that’s getting blown out.”

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49ers quarterback Brock Purdy during the NFC Championship game on Jan. 29, 2023. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy during the NFC Championship game on Jan. 29, 2023.
Quarterback Josh Johnson (17) entered the NFC Championship game for San Francisco after Brock Purdy suffered an injury on Jan. 29, 2023. Quarterback Josh Johnson (17) entered the NFC Championship game for San Francisco after Brock Purdy suffered an injury on Jan. 29, 2023.

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Josh Johnson (17) fumbles the ball during the NFC Championship game between the Eagles and 49ers on Jan. 29, 2023. Josh Johnson (17) fumbles the ball during the NFC Championship game between the Eagles and 49ers on Jan. 29, 2023.

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Garoppolo, who will be a free agent, said postgame how he wished he could have helped San Francisco in its time of need.

“I wish I had a helmet,” Garoppolo told NBC Sports Bay Area, which reported Sunday how he also expressed to the 49ers’ brass that “everything will work out.”


49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in December 2022.
49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in December 2022.Getty Images

Prior to the start of the 2022 regular season, the 49ers re-signed Garoppolo to a one-year deal to serve as the backup to second-year quarterback Trey Lance, whom the team selected third overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. When Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2, San Francisco turned to Garoppolo, who recorded 16 passing touchdowns and just four interceptions through 11 games.

With free agency looming, it remains to be seen where the quarterback carousel will stop for Garoppolo this offseason.