San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, left, hugs Los Angeles Rams quarterback Sean Mannion after their 34-13 win against the Rams during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

San Francisco 49ers ended the season with lots of hope for the future. The main reason is their everyday quarterback, Jimmy Garappolo, who is 26 years of age and has played football at Eastern Illinois University, was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

With the Patriots, he was the back-up for the great Tom Brady, San Mateo’s own, and future member of the NFL Hall of Fame. Garoppolo. experienced what it was to play on a team with one of the all-time greats. Garoppolo would finish the season for the 49ers with a 34-13 win over the Los Angeles Rams, who had won their division. On this last Sunday and last day of the year 2017, Garappolo completed 20 of 33 passes for total of 292 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The final record of the 49ers this season was 6-10. As a starting quarterback, Garappolo won the last 5 games of the season.

Considering that the 49ers have not enjoyed a winning season since 2013, when they finished 12-4, this season that ended Sunday was very positive and hopeful for the team. After the Colin Kaepernick years (2011-16) and after the controversy towards the end of his tenure, the 49ers were making more news because of political reasons than football reasons. 2016 was the last year for Kaepernick with the 49ers as he started 11 games that season, but became a huge distraction, not for what he could not do during the games, but what he did, before the games. Considering that a player in any sport, gets paid for what he does during the game, common sense tells you that the ownership of the 49ers was not thrilled about his antics. After those 11 games, he would join the unemployed.

In 2017, the 49ers had Brian Hoyer as a quarterback for six games, then C.J Beathard for five games, and then on December 3, at Chicago, Garoppolo got his first opportunity to start, and although he was far from perfect, he managed to bring home a winner, a 15-14 victory over the Chicago Bears.

Nobody can predict the future, who would have predicted the last month for the 49ers? Did you see it coming? Did you put back in your car that 49ers flag that you took away at the end of last season? C’mon, let’s be honest.

But seriously, and one thing for sure, the 49ers have found a quarterback than stands up for the National Anthem, and can also stand-up to win games. Regardless how you feel about Kaepernick (whom I respect and has the right to demonstrate for his cause, although I do not agree he should have done it on the field), the 49ers have totally changed their image from a loser to a winner in a span of a few weeks. In football, it has been proven again and again, that you cannot win without a good quarterback.

We all remember the 49ers during their glory years: the Bill Walsh offense, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, and all those great players and Super Bowls that made this franchise the top professional sports franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area, with five Super Bowl titles. It was a lot of fun covering those winning years at old and decrepit Candlestick Park. I covered those teams for Telemundo and it was always fun, from the tailgate parties to the post game interviews.

Rejoice 49ers fans, for your team, has found a leader on the field!

Happy New Year!

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary and Podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com