Garoppolo Finds New Life as Rams Backup
LOS ANGELES — After navigating a tumultuous few seasons filled with highs and lows, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo appears to have found his footing once again. The seasoned veteran, now in his tenth year in the league, has embraced his role as a backup with the Los Angeles Rams. This partnership has proven to be a mutually beneficial arrangement, with Garoppolo seeking stability and the Rams in need of a reliable backup for starter Matthew Stafford.
Garoppolo’s journey has been anything but ordinary. In an interview with The Athletic, he reflected on the chaotic nature of his career, stating, “It was chaotic at times, but they’re all learning experiences. The NFL is crazy, man. Everyone has got a story. Everyone is going whichever way trying to make it. But at the end of the day, it’s your story, and you’ve got to make the best of it. Good, bad, or indifferent, whatever happened in the past, it happened. Now I’m here, and I’m just trying to make every day the best day.”
Garoppolo’s football journey has been filled with pivotal moments. Drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, he was seen as a potential successor to the legendary Tom Brady. However, when Brady continued to perform at an elite level, Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.
His time with the 49ers has been marked by significant injuries and impressive comebacks. Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL in 2018, led the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2019, and faced another injury-plagued season in 2020 due to a high ankle sprain. In 2021, despite the 49ers investing heavily in quarterback Trey Lance, Garoppolo retained his starting position. However, after Lance’s injury in 2022, Garoppolo himself suffered a Lisfranc injury, paving the way for Brock Purdy to rise as a star.
After an arduous recovery from offseason foot surgery, Garoppolo signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. Unfortunately, he was benched midseason alongside the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels, adding another chapter of uncertainty to his career.
Given this backdrop, the opportunity to be a backup with the Rams and reset his career was an attractive proposition for Garoppolo. “It’s really nice having a healthy offseason,” he remarked. “I haven’t had one of those in a while. The foot surgery was tough last year. For anyone who’s ever been through that, that wasn’t a fun recovery, but I feel like I’m back to myself. 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.”
Garoppolo attributed his decision to join the Rams to both Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay. He was particularly impressed by McVay during their initial conversation. Although Garoppolo had other suitors, he was eager to learn from Stafford’s approach to the game.
As he prepares for a two-game suspension at the start of the season due to a violation of the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, Garoppolo recognized that a guaranteed starting position was not on offer. “I could have gone somewhere to compete with a young quarterback, but that would have led to a similar dynamic in San Francisco, where the organization would inevitably lean on the long-term investment,” he explained. The instability he witnessed in Vegas reaffirmed this decision.
With McVay’s proven track record and the Rams’ solid organizational structure, Garoppolo felt this was the right environment for him to thrive. “This place allows you to be yourself, too, which is different than other places I’ve been,” he said. “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 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.”
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(Photo: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
