49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, whose running game steamrollered the Vikings and Packers to reach Super Bowl LIV, was asked if in doing so he had to "sit down" with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to "reassure" him that he still had faith in Jimmy's ability to complete a forward pass if the need arises in Sunday's game.
Some might argue that $137.5 million over five years shows adequate confidence in a young man's abilities. But Kyle chuckled and went another route while explaining that, no, he did not have to hold Jimmy G's hand and help him through this trying time in his life.
"It's really funny that people say that," Shanahan said. "Did anyone notice how good we were running the ball? We weren't just running it to punt and try to win 3-0. There were times, especially that Green Bay game, we had a better chance getting 30 yards running it just from some of the looks we were getting."
In the 49ers' past seven quarters, Garoppolo has thrown the ball 19 times, 11 in the final three quarters against the Vikings and eight for the entire NFC Championship Game against the Packers. And the 49ers outscored 'em 54-23 while running the ball 87 times for 467 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and six touchdowns in those 75 minutes.
"As a quarterback you want to throw it," said Garoppolo, who got two rings without throwing a ball as Tom Brady's Super Bowl backup. "But when you are moving the ball at 8 yards per carry, do you really want to pass it?"
Apparently "no" is not the no-brainer answer based on some of this week's lines of questioning.
"Whatever it takes to win," Garoppolo said. "That's how I've been my whole life."
Garoppolo completed five of six passes for 57 yards and a touchdown on the 49ers' opening drive against the Vikings in the divisional round.