49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo named NFC Offensive Player of the Week

Jimmy Garoppolo can add an award to his signature moment of the 2019 season.

The 49ers quarterback on Wednesday was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his four-touchdown, 349-yard, last-minute comeback performance in the pivotal 48-46 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

“It was, I think, extremely impressive,” Kyle Shanahan said Monday. “The thing that impressed me the most was just how he handled the noise. I’ve been in that stadium a lot, but it was louder than usual to me.”

Said Garoppolo after the win: “It’s good for our team. We win different ways every week. That’s what a good football team does. They find a way to win tough games like this, whatever it may be. I think our guys are built for anything, handling the environment; it was pretty loud out there. I thought we did well with it.”

Behind Garoppolo, the 49ers went 2-1 in the three-game gauntlet against top playoff teams, which included key wins over the Packers and Saints that could go a long way toward getting a first-round bye in the playoffs. San Francisco would clinch its first postseason berth since 2013 with a win over the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) at home Sunday.

Since losing the Seahawks on Nov. 11, Garoppolo has completed 74 percent of his passes, averaged a robust 9.84 yards per attempt, 298 yards per game, and thrown 11 touchdowns to three interceptions.

His passer rating over those last four games is 124.4, which is second in the NFL behind Tennessee’s Ryan Tannehill (147.0).

Garoppolo, 28, improved to 19-4 as a starting quarterback over his six-year career. He’s started all 13 games this season, a career high, as the 49ers occupy the No. 1 seed in the NFC with an 11-2 record.

This story was originally published December 11, 2019 at 6:44 AM.