Jimmy Garoppolo’s Old School Father Taught Him How to Win


It's about humility, work ethic and always trying to better yourself.

San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo rarely opens up about his family life, granting just a handful of interviews discussing his parents and brothers dating back to his college career at Eastern Illinois, according to Heavy.com.

Jimmy’s father, Tony Garoppolo Sr., who worked as an electrician for more than 40 years, was out the door every morning by 6:30 a.m. but always left work in time to coach his sons’ sporting events, per Bleacher Report.

When Jimmy was a teenager, Tony Sr. would offer these humbling words to keep his son focused:

“You think you worked hard?” Tony Sr. would ask.

“I think I put in some good work,” Jimmy replied.

“There’s always someone working harder than you.”

Here’s Jimmy, beaming with family pride, as he and his father took part in a skilled worker National Signing Day event at the Silicon Valley Career Technical Education campus in May 2019:

Jimmy has three brothers, Mike, Tony Jr. and Billy.

Jimmy’s nonna, Jane Garoppolo, is a first-generation American whose parents grew up in Italy, according to Sauk Valley.

Denise Garoppolo had this to say about her son:

“[Jimmy] really just flowed with the way everything went. So on vacations, he really never caused any kind of a problem. My other sons were more boisterous. Jimmy wasn’t.”

Much has changed since then, as Jimmy is now at the center of one of sports’ biggest events: Super Bowl 54.

The 28-year-old QB from Arlington Heights, Ill., who joined the New England Patriots in 2014 and was traded three years ago to the San Francisco 49ers, played his first full season in 2019.

Fresh off a big win against the Green Bay Packers, the Niners (15-3)  will head to Miami Gardens, Fla. and face off against the Kansas City Chiefs (14-4) on Feb. 2.

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