It’s time for Jimmy Garoppolo to join 49ers’ group of unexpected heroes

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This San Francisco 49ers season that is at the doorstep of a championship began, improbably, with the fundamental thought that the starting quarterback had to be replaced.

It seems harsh to put it that way now that Jimmy Garoppolo has helped his team make the playoffs and just might be a starting Super Bowl quarterback for the second time in three years, if the 49ers can get past the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, but those are the facts.

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The 49ers not only drafted Trey Lance in the first round last April to eventually ease Garoppolo aside and insert Lance, but were aggressive in doing so — trading away three first-round draft picks to Miami in exchange for the Dolphins’ No. 3 overall selection in the 2021 draft, which was used to select Lance.

So as awesome Super Bowl quarterback stories go, Garoppolo’s has a strange opening chapter.

And the current chapter is kind of being written right to left instead of the other way around.

Because Garoppolo this week, and in other portions of this season, has been seen as something less than a player setting the tone for his team. He’s been seen as something less than worthy of great praise. Or any praise.

Because at best, the guy’s been kind of just OK.

San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo thorws with Green Bay Packers' Kenny Clark rushing during the second half of an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis.  (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Kind of middling.

ESPN’s Mina Kimes upset some folks by saying Garoppolo is like that kid who gets an A on a group project without doing any of the work.

Cold? Yes.

Inaccurate?

Since