Jimmy Garoppolo took in more than a few things during his time with the New England Patriots.
The football world frequently points out the way Garoppolo mirrors Tom Brady, but it appears head coach Bill Belichick also left a lasting impression on the San Francisco 49ers quarterback as well.
Garoppolo found himself in unfamiliar territory Sunday afternoon, as he lost his first game as an NFL starter when the 49ers fell to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. Jimmy G turned in a forgettable performance with three interceptions, but the young signal-caller showed off his tunnel vision prior to San Francisco’s Week 2 bout with the Detroit Lions.
“It’s just, ‘We’re on to Detroit,’” Garoppolo said, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.
Garoppolo, inadvertently or not, was doing his best impersonation of Belichick, who consistently uttered “We’re on to Cincinnati” in his postgame press conference after the Patriots suffered a 27-point Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2014 season.
We’ll have to wait and see if the now-iconic phrase brings the same luck to Garoppolo that it did Belichick and the Patriots. Following Belichick’s soundbite, New England won 13 of their last 15 games, including a victory in Super Bowl XLIX.
