Jimmy Garoppolo’s Italian Family Keeps 49ers QB Grounded

If Hollywood was looking for the perfect movie star to play an NFL quarterback, he would look eerily similar to Jimmy Garoppolo. Yet, for all the attention Jimmy has received in his ascent to playing in the Super Bowl, his family believes the Niners’ quarterback is still the same humble person that grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Jimmy comes from a close-knit Italian family that the 49ers quarterback prefers to shield from the spotlight. Jimmy’s parents, Denise and Tony Garoppolo Sr., instilled a blue-collar work ethic in all of their four sons, including the Niners quarterback. The 49ers quarterback has three brothers who are all expected to attend the Super Bowl: Tony, Mike and Billy.

Jimmy’s dad, Tony Sr., was an electrician who rose early for work each morning which allowed him to leave in time to coach his son’s sports teams. Tony Sr. emphasized that Jimmy has maintained humility throughout the process.

“What you see now is pretty much what he’s always been, the humble, excitable, nice-guy type of kid- or man he is coming to be,” Tony explained to Mercury News. “We’re just so excited for Jimmy.”

Kids Were “Deathly Afraid” of the Garoppolo Brothers When They Were Younger

Jimmy’s older brothers, Tony and Mike, were not easy on the eventual Niners’ quarterback. Neal Zeman grew up across the street from the Garoppolos and discussed with the Mercury News the healthy fear the neighborhood had for the family.

“It was a battle,” Neal told Mercury News. “The brothers aren’t holding back, big dudes pushing six-three. All the kids in the neighborhood were deathly afraid of them. We were like, wow, if you live with them you must be their punching bag. But I didn’t see too many fights. They usually got along pretty well.”

Jimmy explained there was a healthy amount of competition between the four brothers.

“Being around especially two older brothers, I think they’ll always keep you grounded whenever you start thinking highly of yourself,” Jimmy noted to Mercury News. “We were always competitive with each other. It made for a fun lifestyle growing up.”

Jimmy G Learned the Value of Hard Work From His Dad, Tony Sr.

It may have been Jimmy’s brothers that gave him his toughness, but it was his dad who laid the groundwork for a strong work ethic. Jimmy saw his dad get up early each morning to work hard as an electrician, and the quarterback spoke with Bleacher Report about how Tony Sr. would push him on the football field.

“There’s always someone working harder than you,” his father would tell 18-year-old Jimmy, then walk away. The words still leave Jimmy shaking his head.

“He’d just sneak it in,” Jimmy says now. “I would just be like, ‘What the f—, man?’”

Jimmy’s mom, Denise, described her son as an agreeable child. With two older brothers, Jimmy did his best to fly under the radar.

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

Jimmy traded in his Arlington Heights address for the Bay Area, but it is the quarterback’s humble beginnings that have allowed him to help return one of the NFL’s storied franchises back to greatness.