Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo appeared to take a subtle shot at his former team, the Las Vegas Raiders, this week in an interview published by The Athletic.
Garoppolo lasted one season with the Raiders before they released him this offseason, not too long after the league announced they would suspend the quarterback for two games in 2024 for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
A one-year experiment with the Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders brought in Garoppolo in the last offseason to work with then-head coach Josh McDaniels. Things didn’t go well for Garoppolo or the Raiders, and McDaniels was fired midseason after some dramatic team meetings.
The Raiders replaced McDaniels with Antonio Pierce, a member of the Raiders staff last season. Pierce is dealing with a quarterback battle between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell in training camp this year Pierce likes where the team is at post-Garoppolo.
The feeling is mutual for Garoppolo.
Jimmy Garoppolo takes a shot at the Raiders
According to Jeff Howe with The Athletic, Garoppolo praised the Rams for their culture, saying it was “different” than other jobs he’s had in the league:
“This place allows you to be yourself, too, which is different than other places I’ve been. You’re getting pressed with a sense of urgency but in a good way. Obviously, everyone wants to win. Everyone wants to perform well.
They do it in the right way here. They push you positively. There’s just a lot of good things going on, man. I’m enjoying every bit of it. Even the meetings are a good time. Everything is going good right now.”
Garoppolo could be talking about the New England Patriots or San Francisco 49ers, the first two teams he played for in his career. However, Garoppolo’s comments seem connected to the Raiders, especially with the meeting’s comment. Meetings last season in the Raiders’ facility became the subject of headlines.
Garoppolo is happy to be on the Los Angeles Rams
Garoppolo said he’s happy the Rams are letting him get back to doing what he does best:
Being in this role, I get to experiment with some things, being with the 2s. I get to be myself. I haven’t had that in a little while, so it feels nice to get back to that.
The true test of the Rams’ patience with Garoppolo might come if Matthew Stafford suffers an injury in the regular season.
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