LA Rams head coach Sean McVay is glad Jimmy Garoppolo is now a member of the team. Although McVay has a winning record against most opponents, he has not fared well against Garoppolo, particularly in regular season games.
Over the course of seven NFL seasons as head coach of the Rams, McVay’s record is 70 wins and 45 losses. As Ramblin’ Fan notes: “That averages out to 10 wins and 6.5 losses per year. That’s a perennial playoff team.”
However, in regular season games, McVay went 0-8 against Garoppolo. In those eight games, Garoppolo was quarterbacking the San Francisco 49ers.
Thus, at the Annual NFL Owners Meeting, McVay expressed contentment that Garoppolo is now on his side.
Sean McVay on signing Jimmy G: “He’s a guy who’s been kicking our ass for years.” pic.twitter.com/yMQ2PhKLIO
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) March 26, 2024
Significantly, the McVay-led Rams did beat Garoppolo and the 49ers in the NFC championship game en route to winning Super Bowl LVI.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s Bio and Stats
Not too long ago, Garoppolo, who is nicknamed “Jimmy G.” (and “Pornstar Jimmy” — at least on First Take, with Steven A. Smith), was the franchise quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers and “the highest-paid player in the league.”
Garoppolo played college ball for Eastern Illinois University, where, in 2013, he received the Walter Payton Award, as the top FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) player. (Cooper Kupp received the award in 2015.)
The New England Patriots selected Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He was Tom Brady’s backup from 2014 through the beginning of the 2017 season. He started two games in the 2016 season when Brady was suspended as a result of Deflategate.
In the middle of the 2017 season, the Patriots traded Garoppolo to the 49ers in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He became the 49ers starting quarterback that season.
The 49ers quickly came to view Garoppolo as their franchise quarterback. In February 2018, they signed him to a five-year $137.5 million deal. At that time, it was the largest contract in NFL history on an annual basis.
Garoppolo played for the 49ers through the 2022 season. During his tenure with the 49ers, he was often injured. He played only three games in the 2018 season and only six games in the 2020 season.
However, during the 2019 season, Garoppolo started all 16 regular season games and led the 49ers to a 13-3 record, and then led the team to the Super Bowl. His fellow NFL players ranked him 43rd on the list of the Top 100 Players of 2019.
Garoppolo started ten games for the 49ers in 2022, with a 7-3 record. After he went down with a foot injury in Week 13, Brock Purdy took over as the team’s QB1.
In March 2023, Garoppolo signed a three-year $67.5 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. After only six starts, in which the Raiders were 3-3, Garoppolo was benched, and the Raiders began starting Aidan O’Connell.
In February 2024, the NFL announced a suspension of Garoppolo for the first two games of the 2024 NFL season, due to a violation of the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. The violation resulted from Garoppolo “using a prescribed medication without having a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption.”
Then, on March 13, 2024, the Raiders released Garoppolo. The Rams scooped up the veteran quarterback two days later, signing him to a one-year contract.
As reported by ESPN:
“The Las Vegas Raiders released Garoppolo on Wednesday, just one season after he signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract with the franchise.
“He is suspended for the first two games of the 2024 season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. The violation was said to be related to Garoppolo using a prescribed medication without having a valid therapeutic use exemption from the NFL….
“The Rams were reminded of the importance of a backup quarterback last season when Stafford injured his thumb and missed the Rams’ Week 9 game against the Green Bay Packers. Without Stafford — and with quarterback Brett Rypien starting the game — Los Angeles only scored three points in the loss….
“The Rams have had several high draft picks as their backup quarterback in the past two seasons: Baker Mayfield in 2022, Carson Wentz in 2023 and now Garoppolo.
“Los Angeles drafted quarterback Stetson Bennett to back up Stafford, but he missed the 2023 season on the reserve/non-football illness list. In January, Rams head coach Sean McVay said it was too early to know whether Bennett would be with Los Angeles next season.”
In the 63 regular games in which Garoppolo has started over the course of his NFL career, he has an impressive 43-20 record. And, in the six postseason games in which he has started, he has a 4-2 record.
Nevertheless, here’s how Sports Illustrated | All 49ers Fan Nation characterizes Garoppolo’s current status:
“For a few years, he was one of the winningest quarterbacks in the NFL despite a decidedly modest skill set. Now he’s a backup quarterback who isn’t even competing for a starting role. He’s a professional clipboard holder, and he’s only 32.”
Garoppolo Looks Forward to Working with Sean McVay
Garoppolo said that speaking with McVay “really sealed the deal” for him in deciding to sign with the Rams.
Garoppolo elaborated:
“Obviously good players all around. That’s a big part of it. Talking to Sean on the phone, him just running me through offense and things that he had in mind, it really became appetizing. And I know a lot of the coaches here, so a lot of familiarity in that aspect. And then having played against the Rams a lot in my career, I’ve seen a lot of good things from L.A.”
Coach McVay is the real deal. 🤝
🎙️ Jimmy Garoppolo is excited to get to work with our head coach. pic.twitter.com/rorV5UQ8lH
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 19, 2024
Per CBS, “Garoppolo has accepted his new role as a backup.”
For more related sports news, focused primarily on the USC Trojans, SMU Mustangs, and Los Angeles Rams, please follow me at @vshjah_Victor.
