SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The 49ers and Patriots don't have a whole lot in common when it comes to the way the two football teams operate, their fan bases or even their climates.
"We'd be here for a while if I told you all the differences," 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said this week.
Garoppolo, of course, is a protagonist in New England's longstanding melodrama, even while he plays his home games more than 3,000 miles away. The prodigal son once destined to replace Tom Brady is now with San Francisco, and Sunday is heading back to play against the team that drafted him — that might secretly wish he was still there.
The debate as to whether Garoppolo was pushed out per Tom Brady's request remains. Though no matter how it's sliced, it's hard to argue over the Patriots going to two Super Bowls since Garoppolo was shipped to the Bay Area for a second-round draft pick midway through the 2017 season.
But with all the differences between the 49ers and Bill Belichick's team, once constant remains: a high level of respect between the two franchises, which might be a reason why Garoppolo was sent to the 49ers in the first place, while Belichick reportedly turned down a better offer from the Cleveland Browns.
The reasoning?
That depends on whom you ask. Some would say Belichick wanted Garoppolo as far away from the Patriots as possible, both literally and figuratively. By sending Garoppolo to the 49ers of the NFC, Belichick would never have to play him in the AFC playoffs. And geographically, only a few of teams are further from Foxborough than San Francisco.
Others say Belichick wanted to send Garoppolo to a head coach that could help him flourish and maximize his potential. Belichick and Kyle Shanahan seem to be cut from the same cloth when it comes to coaching chops.
When asked about that on a conference call with Bay Area reporters this week, Belichick didn't stray from his brand as a notoriously tight-lipped football guy hiding warm-time secrets.
"We have good relationships with a lot of teams. We've traded with practically everybody in the league. So, I don't know," Belichick said.
Then, surprisingly, he opened up just a little bit.
"Out of respect for Kyle and his dad," Belichick continued, "I go all the way back with Mike and now him and his family there in the league for a long time, I have great respect for him. (49ers general manager John Lynch), I coached John. So, I feel like I have good relationships with everybody out there so, you know, a lot of teams in the league that we deal with too. So, I mean, I don't know."
