Los Angeles Rams - 20, San Francisco 49ers - 17
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: What's going on, guys?
Q. Can you kind of take us through the emotions with the hug outside the locker room with John Lynch and what's it like there with your feelings?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: Yeah, it was -- I mean, like you'd imagine, it was tough. But, you know, a hell of a game out there. That's a good team. Tip your hat to the Rams. But it was an emotional locker room like you'd expect. But it's -- you know, it's a tough one.
Q. Jimmy, what's it been like, especially this week? How did it feel to have your team talk about you that way and lead your team to an NFC championship even though with everything happening?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: Yeah, I think I just love this team. I've said it before to you guys. But everything we've been through, it started with the offseason into training camp, you know, it was a roller coaster of a year. It really was. We fought through it.
Good teams -- we're a resilient team and that's what good teams do, fight through things like that, and come out better on the other end from it.
Q. Jimmy, this team has closed really well the last two games for sure. What happened in the last two series? You had the delay, you have, obviously, the interception. What was going on the last two series?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: Yeah, just some bad execution. Some -- you know, it's just a -- it didn't work out the way we wanted it to. I mean, there's a million things. I won't get into all of them.
But, yeah, that's a tough way to end it. Especially just the way we battled the whole game. We knew it was going to be a dogfight. It always is against these guys. And, you know, it's a tough one.
Q. Jimmy, you've been very honest about how many of these games could be potentially one of your last with the '9ers. How much does that -- those emotions seep in a moment like this?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: They hit pretty hard in the locker room. I think these next couple days, it will really start to settle in a little bit.
You know, emotions are high after a game, a win or a loss. And it's just one of those things you got to be glad it happened. You know, just smile from it and think about the good things.
You know, we'll see what happens in these next couple days, weeks, whatever. But I love this team. Just the fight and the battle of this team throughout the entire year has been really impressive and I love these guys.
Q. You know how difficult it is to get to the Super Bowl, how does this feeling, this loss compare to anything you've experienced in your career?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: It's tough, it's tough. It's probably a little different than most of them. Just how much we put into this year, you know, guys -- I mean, since the last time we played the Rams, the injury list that guys have played through during the playoffs this run, it's insane.
And I'm sure every team is going through it, but you just -- you know, when it's your team and you're in it with them, you see it firsthand, Trent Williams, Elijah Mitchell, the list goes -- Deebo. The list goes on and on. It's impressive what we accomplished. And, obviously, came up short but it was a fun year.
Q. George mentioned just how the Rams were -- blitzed in certain gaps when you guys are going in motion to stop the run game. Did you notice anything they were doing different this game? And my follow-up: What did you think about the fourth and two decision to punt?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: Yeah, they had a couple new things in the run game. Coverages were a little different, too. But when you play a team for the third time, you got to expect something like that.
What was the second part?
Q. The decision to punt on fourth and two, how did you feel about that?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: That's not my decision to make. You know, whatever Kyle decides, it's his decision, his choice.
Q. Jimmy, how did you just manage, like, you know, there's an expectation that there's a ticking clock, this is your last year? How did you manage that day-to-day and week to week?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: I don't know. (Laughing). I don't know. A lot of good people around me. A lot of good people in this organization, players. Just people in general. But just surround yourself with good people and good things will take care of themselves.
Q. How special do you think this roster is?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: It's very unique. I think every team kind of says that. But when you meet these guys and get to know them like brothers, it's a great group.
It's a great group. Love being with them every day battling, fighting, going to war with these guys. It was a fun year.
Q. Deebo had a couple of really nice big plays. But how do you feel his effectiveness overall in how he was used by the offense today?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: Today?
Q. Yeah.
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: I thought it was good. You have to tip your hat to that guy. His conditioning is outrageous to do what he does; kickoff return, running back, receiver, everything.
I mean, he had an incredible catch and run today on that screen. I thought he played his ass off. He has all playoffs, all season. Just one of those guys I love to have in the foxhole.
Q. You said it was a fun year. But is that basically off those last three wins, really kind of exemplify that, how you guys pulled it out and nobody was necessarily talking about you guys?
JIMMY GAROPPOLO: Yeah, I mean, it's kind of -- it's just -- that's kind of our year in a nutshell. You know, we were three and five at one point. People wrote us off. We just kept fighting. That's what good teams do, that's what tight brothers do. And I got no regrets from this year.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports