Working alongside Tom Brady for parts of four seasons afforded Jimmy Garoppolo a wealth of knowledge, and the San Francisco 49ers quarterback still is using his time with the New England Patriots to advance his career.
Garoppolo, traded from New England to San Francisco during the 2017 season, has been spending time this summer working with quarterback guru Tom House. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because House has worked with several other star quarterbacks, including Brady.
House, a former major league pitcher, runs a quarterback academy in Southern California called 3DQB, where he provides assistance on refining throwing mechanics. Garoppolo, who was limited to just three games last season before tearing his ACL, has been working with House during the time between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp on July 27.
“We’re trying to implement drills as close to game-like situations as you could get to,” Garoppolo told The Associated Press in a phone interview last week.
“At the same time, we’re sticking to mechanics and the basics. That’s what quarterbacking comes down to. You have to be really good with the basics and do them over and over again. It’s good to get someone with as much experience as Tom.
“It’s nice to have him see you throw and see if he has any little things to fix up or anything you haven’t thought about that he thinks can help you. Quarterback is a very unique position and a lot goes into it. There are a lot of moving pieces.”
Garoppolo flourished while filling in for Brady as the latter served his four-game Deflategate suspension to begin the 2016 season. The 2014 second-round pick took his game to even greater heights upon landing in the Bay Area, guiding the 49ers to a 5-0 record down the stretch in 2017.
The 49ers showed faith in Garoppolo by signing him to a five-year, $137.5 million contract in February 2018. Now, with Garoppolo on the mend and honing his craft, it’s on the 27-year-old to reach his full potential and guide San Francisco to its first winning season since the 2013 campaign.
