The San Francisco 49ers dominated the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, and Jimmy Garoppolo basically got to just sit back and watch it unfold. No one knows more about winning a playoff game in that fashion than Terry Bradshaw.
Garoppolo only had to throw eight passes in the 37-20 victory, and he completed six of them for 77 yards. During the trophy presentation after the game, Bradshaw joked with the 49ers quarterback that Garoppolo’s arm “can’t possibly be tired.”
Terry to Jimmy G: “Your arm can’t possibly be tired.” pic.twitter.com/h7M8vmEa0G
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) January 20, 2020
From anyone else, that may have been interpreted as a swipe at Garoppolo for contributing almost nothing to the victory. However, Bradshaw knows all about winning big games without having to throw the ball.
Bradshaw had just 10.2 pass attempts per game during his first two Super Bowl runs with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1974 and 1975. He completed 9-of-14 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s win in Super Bowl IX and 9-of-19 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns the championship game the following year. Granted, that was a much different era, but Bradshaw would not be one to criticize a quarterback for not lighting up the stat sheet in a win.
San Francisco has relied on an outstanding defense and running game this season, and it has served them well. However, Garoppolo may be called upon to do a lot more in the Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes and the explosive Kansas City Chiefs’ offense. If Mahomes makes plays like the ones he made on Sunday, the 49ers could find themselves in a shootout.
