Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Fans already calling for 49ers to bench Jimmy Garoppolo

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 8/22/21

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo got the start for the team’s second preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday afternoon.

San Francisco drove the ball down the field through the 15 plays of their initial drive. Unfortunately, the drive ended after Garoppolo was picked off by rookie cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.

There’s some debate about who was at fault here. But it’s rather clear that Jimmy Garoppolo threw the ball a bit too high for his intended receiver, Brandon Aiyuk.

Chargers rookie CB Asante Samuel Jr. picks off the pass! @godschild3_

: #SFvsLAC on @NFLNetwork (or check local listings)
: https://t.co/ldWXr0NrU8 pic.twitter.com/mCsnOCbEGu
— NFL (@NFL) August 22, 2021

All of this comes amid what seems to be a renewed quarterback competition in Santa Clara between Garoppolo and rookie No. 3 pick Trey Lance.

Hot takes are obviously part of the preseason conversation. With that said, Lance has more than proven himself capable of starting Week 1 against the Detroit Lions should 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan come to that conclusion.

Garoppolo’s interception to open up Sunday’s game added another layer to this. And it had people on social media talking.

Fans already calling for San Francisco 49ers to bench Jimmy Garoppolo

Kyle Shanahan: No rookie can take Jimmy Garoppolo's job if he's playing his best.

Jimmy Garoppolo: Hold my beer.
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) August 23, 2021

If that ball is on target that’s not an INT. Aiyuk can help his QB out by making a tough catch. But Garoppolo made that tougher than it needed to be. pic.twitter.com/qNyH7ddXqQ
— Oscar Aparicio (@BetterRivals) August 23, 2021

Yes, Brandon Aiyuk should have pulled that down. But Jimmy Garoppolo doesn't exactly do Aiyuk any favors with the high throw. #49ers #SFvsLAC
— Peter Panacy (@PeterPanacy) August 22, 2021

Andy Dalton and Jimmy Garoppolo are doing everything in their power to LOSE that week 1 starting gig

I am here for the ride, let the rookies play pic.twitter.com/kL6PEQrMHO
— Josh Larky ↗️ (@jlarkytweets) August 22, 2021

Jimmy Garoppolo kicking open the door for Trey Lance.
— Paul Charchian (@PaulCharchian) August 22, 2021

For all of the over-analyzers out there:

Garoppolo could have thrown a better pass

Aiyuk could also have caught that.

Y’all happy now?
— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) August 23, 2021

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: