Keys for 49ers to win in Chicago
CHICAGO >> Growing up 30 miles from Soldier Field, Jimmy Garoppolo occasionally would tag along with his electrician father, Tony, to a side job away from their Arlington Heights home.
The working conditions weren’t always favorable, especially in Chicago’s cold winters.
“That work ethic is not seen every day and I’m glad I got to witness it firsthand,” Garoppolo added. “Anytime you think you’re having a rough day, I always think back to that, and I’m like, ‘Is it as tough as you think it is?’ ”
This year’s been tough, from the 49ers’ wandering eye (see: Matthew Stafford, Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers) to Kyle Shanahan’s eventual selection of Trey Lance with the high-cost, No. 3 draft pick. Then came the losses, another injury and intense criticism.
Garoppolo, however, will make his 39th start Sunday, four years to the day he got traded to the 49ers and on the same backyard lot, Soldier Field, as where he won his 49ers’ starting debut in December 2017.
As his 49ers’ tenure comes full circle, neither he nor Shanahan is indicating this is also where their marriage ends. No one can say for sure, though.
Asked Friday if a second straight bad game could cost Garoppolo his job, Shanahan said, “I would never answer a question like that. And you guys can ask it a thousand different ways, I don’t think like that.”
Instead, good or bad, he’ll review the film and “you try to make decisions by Wednesday,” which isn’t exactly a vote of longterm confidence, nor is one expected after Shanahan acknowledged this last Wednesday ac
knowledging it’s “a matter of time” before Lance ascends the throne.
So, hypotheticals rule the day. Speaking of, if Garoppolo didn’t arrive in a Halloween 2018 trade, would Shanahan still be the 49ers’ coach? If the 2019 49ers didn’t blow a Super Bowl lead, would
a dynasty be afoot rather than an expiration date upcoming on Garoppolo’s tenure?
Here are the answers as to what must go right Sunday for the 49ers to improve to 27-12 in Garoppolo’s
starts: LEADERSHIP POWER Losing streaks invite speculation about a leadership void, and defensive end Nick Bosa isn’t disputing that possibility.