The Rise and Fall of Jimmy Garoppolo: A Complex Journey
Heads up!
This summary and transcript were automatically generated using AI with the Free YouTube Transcript Summary Tool by LunaNotes.
Generate a summary for free
If you found this summary useful, consider buying us a coffee. It would help us a lot!
Introduction
In the realm of professional sports, few stories are as intricate and riveting as that of Jimmy Garoppolo. Once a promising quarterback on the brink of greatness, he now faces the hard reality of being considered a game manager with a troubled career trajectory. To truly understand Jimmy’s dramatic rise and fall, we need to take a step back and delve into his early days as a young athlete, explore his college performances, and analyze how a series of unfortunate injuries impacted his journey through the NFL.
Early Days: High School Struggles
High School Contributions
Jimmy Garoppolo's journey began far from the limelight. As a sophomore in high school, he primarily played linebacker, far from his desired position as a quarterback. When he finally earned the role of starting quarterback in his junior year, performance concerns surfaced. Garoppolo struggled to shine, collecting a mere 3,000 passing yards and 25 touchdowns throughout his entire high school career. In a playoff game that should have showcased his potential, he threw four interceptions instead.
Recruitment Hurdles
Despite his efforts and training with renowned quarterback coach Jeff Christensen, Garoppolo finished high school as a two-star recruit. Colleges were largely uninterested, and he received only a handful of offers from FCS schools. Ultimately, he committed to Eastern Illinois, a decision that would significantly alter the course of his life.
College Career: Turning Points
Eastern Illinois Phase
Transitioning to college football wasn’t easy for Garoppolo. His initial seasons at Eastern Illinois saw the team finishing with dismal records of 2-9. However, by his junior year, things took a positive turn. He was given more opportunities, leading the team to a respectable 7-5 finish and showcasing his talent to scouts.
Breakthrough Senior Year
It was Garoppolo’s senior year that truly put him on the map. Leading the team to a 12-2 record, he completed a staggering 66% of his passes for 5,000 yards, 53 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. His award-winning season culminated with the Walter Payton Award and broken passing records previously held by NFL star Tony Romo. His outstanding performance made him a coveted name heading into the 2014 NFL Draft.
NFL Journey: From Backup to Starting Quarterback
Draft and Early NFL Years
In the 2014 NFL Draft, Garoppolo was selected in the second round by the New England Patriots, amidst controversy regarding Tom Brady's reaction. Despite limited playing time in his first two seasons, Garoppolo gained valuable experience, including practice against elite quarterbacks, propelling him into his first starting job during Brady’s suspension in 2016.
The 49ers Acquisition
Following a trade to the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, Jimmy immediately made an impact, winning all five starts that season. This earned him a substantial contract extension, positioning him as the franchise quarterback with high expectations.
Pivotal Injuries: Shifts in Performance
Torn ACL and Recovery
Jimmy’s promising career took a turn for the worse in the 2018 season when he suffered a torn ACL. This injury forced him to shift his gameplay style, which subsequently impacted his confidence. Returning to the field in 2019, he led the 49ers to a remarkable season, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance. However, a crucial overthrow in the final moments of the game led to significant criticism regarding his performance as a quarterback.
Decline and Benchings
Following the Super Bowl, Jimmy faced defensive adjustments from opponents that highlighted his weaknesses. Injuries plagued his subsequent seasons, including ankle sprains and a thumb injury, while the 49ers signaled readiness to move on by drafting Trey Lance. Despite his struggles, a twist of fate brought him back to the starting role during Lance’s injury in 2022, where he managed a brief resurgence.
Current Status: From the Raiders to Starting Backup
Transition to the Raiders
Garoppolo signed a three-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting with former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. However, a series of events, including injuries and underwhelming performances, contributed to his spiral down the depth chart, culminating in a benching when rookie Aidan O’Connell took over following McDaniels’ firing.
Conclusion
Jimmy Garoppolo's story is a testament to the unpredictable nature of professional sports. What began as a promising rise through adversity to the heights of success has seen multiple challenges, including injuries and fluctuating team dynamics, shaping his career in nuanced ways. Often perceived as a game manager rather than a game-changer, Garoppolo's career trajectory presents valuable lessons about resilience and adaptation in the face of career-threatening circumstances. He remains a complex figure in the NFL, once a high-flying talent now searching for stability in a league known for its ruthless nature.
in just a few seasons Jimmy Garoppolo went from a Super Bowl to unwanted teammates were literally calling for him
to be benched but the quarterback's dramatic decline is more complicated than you think to truly understand what
happened we're going to have to go back to his high school days where Jimmy was far from a star as a sophomore he got
the chance to play on Varsity but as a linebacker not a QB when he finally took over as the team starting quarterback
his junior year he didn't really play well he wasn't drawing the attention of any college programs either the summer
before his senior year Jimmy knew he would have to work his butt off to get a college offer so we started training
with quarterback coach Jeff Christensen who had worked with dozens of top recruits and NFL QBs the extra work paid
off and Jimmy looked like a much improved player his senior year however there was a problem grappolo had only
passed for 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in his entire High School career and in his final game a playoff game he threw
four interceptions Jimmy was just a two-star recruit and colleges still weren't interested in him he didn't get
a single offer from an FBS school which is the highest level of NCAA football after receiving just three offers from
FCS schools Garoppolo committed to Eastern Illinois as a true freshman Jimmy took over as the team's starting
quarterback but he was far from an easy transition in each of his first two seasons there the team went 2 and nine
but then his junior year things started to change Jimmy was given more chances to throw the ball and the team finished
the season with an improved record of 7-5 garoppolo's senior year is when he truly drew the attention of NFL Scouts
the team went 12-2 while Jimmy completed 66% of his passes for 5,000 yards 53 touchdowns and just nine interceptions
he took home the Walter Peyton award too which is basically the highman trophy for FCS teams and he broke all the
schools passing records that were previously held by Tony Romo after that historic season Garoppolo declared for
the 2014 NFL draft during the pre-draft process Jimmy was ranked as the fifth best quarterback in the class and was
projected to be a second or third round pick once draft day arrived the Patriots selected garoo in the second round with
the 62nd overall pick but this caused some controversy you see Tom Brady was upset that New England drafted a
quarterback with such a high pick it was clear garoo was brought in to possibly be Brady's successor but Tom found this
disrespectful since he didn't feel like his career was anywhere near over behind the scenes Jimmy says he and Brady
developed a competitive but healthy relationship one that pushed the two players to get better his rookie season
Garoppolo saw some snaps in garbage time but his most important moment that season didn't actually come in a game
that 2014 season the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl and we're set to go head-to-head with Russell Wilson and the
Seattle Seahawks so when the practic is leading up to the big game game Jimmy played the role of Wilson be very Shifty
and mobile quarterback luckily for garoo this wasn't hard for him because he was a pretty athletic player himself I mean
people forget just how fast he was before his ACL tear but we'll talk about just how much that impacted his career
in a few minutes grolo gave the defense the closest thing to actual Reps versus the QB they were about to face even
though Jimmy didn't take a single snap in that Super Bowl he played a big part in the team getting the win Jimmy G's
second year in the league went much like his first he didn't see the fields unless he was replacing Brady late in a
blowout Victory but then something unexpected happened before his third Pro season Tom Brady was suspended for the
first four games of 2016 as punishment for deflate gate as a result Jimmy would be the team starting QB for those games
in his first ever NFL start on Sunday Night Football no l garoo impressed without Rob gronowski and behind an
offensive line that was a mess Jimmy completed 72% of his power passes for 264 yards and one touchdown in a pass
Victory the next week versus the Dolphins he really wowed completing a nice 69% of his passes for 232 yards and
three touchdowns I mean just look at how fast his release was that ball is popping out of his hand I did a video on
Tim TBO recently and just look at how different those two releases are but unfortunately in this game versus the
Dolphins things took a turn for the worst after a big hit Jimmy was forced to exit early with an injury it turned
out to be an AC joint sprain which kept him sideline till Brady's return his time as a starter was short but it
impressed many around the league even though Jimmy didn't get any more meaningful snaps That season he did add
a second Super Bowl ring to his collection during the offseason trade rumors were swirling about garoo teams
saw the potential he had and many hoped he could be their franchise QB during the first round of the 2017 draft the
Browns actually called the Patriots to see if they could work out a deal for the quarterback New England declined and
Jimmy was their backup to start the season however on October 30th 2017 the Patriots traded Garoppolo to the 49ers
for a second round pick at the time of the trade the 49ers were 0 and8 yeah it was basically November and they hadn't
won a game yet but Jimmy couldn't start immediately he needed to learn a whole new playbook on December 3rd garoo
finally made his first start for the ners which just over 3 minutes left San Fran found themselves at their own 30
down two Jimmy then led the team all the way down to the Bears 3 where they hit the game-winning field goal with just
seconds left this was only the second win of the year for the 49ers the following week Jimmy continued to put
the team on his back and passed for over 300 yards in a win versus the Texans after that in a match up with the Titans
the 49ers were down one at their own 32 with just under a minute to play and yes I know everyone's going to make fun of
the the way I say Titans I know it sounds like tight ends I don't know why I can't annunciate the word Titans yet
again Jimmy LED his new team down the field to set up the game-winning field goal with seconds left Garoppolo
completed 72% of his passes for 381 yards one touchdown and no turnovers in that one in the five games Jimmy started
for the 49ers That season the team won every single one of them after that season San Francisco gave him a 5-year
contract extension that paid him more money per year than any other player in the league entering 2018 expectations
were Sky High for Jimmy I mean the guy hadn't lost the game he started yet going all the way back to his days in
New England however in the first game of that season Garoppolo and the 49ers got a reality check in a week one loss
versus the Vikings Jimmy completed just 45% of his passes for 261 yards one touchdown and three interceptions he and
the 49ers bounc back the following game but in week three garoppolo's career changed forever as he ran down the
sideline he tried to cut back to avoid the tackle except when he planted his leg it was clear something had gone
wrong it turned out to be a torn ACL which meant his season was over this was a pivotal moment in Garoppo's career the
way he played changed after this injury but it doesn't become obvious till about two seasons later garoo was fully
recovered and ready to go for the start of 2019 the 49ers kicked off that season by winning eight yes eight straight
games during that win streak Jimmy completed 70% of his passes for 1,800 yards 13 touchdowns and seven
interceptions after losing their first game of the season in week 10 San Francisco found themselves down 16
nothing in the second quarter of a week 11 game versus the Cardinals all of a sudden it seemed like everything was
falling apart the 49ers didn't look like the team that started the season 8 and0 but then Jimmy put together one of the
best performances of his career thus far he completed 75% of his passes for 424 yards and 4 touchdowns San Francisco
went on to win that one 36-26 garolo finished the regular season with 3,900 passing yards 27 touchdowns
and 13 interceptions the team went 13 and3 and were the one seed in the NFC heading into the playoffs in his first
ever playoff game garoo completed 11 of his 19 passes for 131 yards one touchdown and one interception in the
NFC Championship Game Jimmy was asked to do even less it might have been because he tweaked his knee in the first quarter
but most likely it was because the Packers couldn't do anything to stop the run in that game Jimmy completed just
six of his eight passes for 77 yards yeah that's how much San Fran ran the ball it worked though as they won 37 to
20 and we heading to the Super Bowl in the big game the 49ers were set to go head-to-head with Patrick Mahomes and
the chiefs with just over 6 minutes remaining in the game the 49ers held a 10-point lead the Chiefs then scored two
unanswered touchdowns and led by four with just over 2 minutes to go but then with 134 left in the game the defining
play of Jimmy's career happened Emanuel Sanders had blown by two Defenders and was open on a deep route Garo overthrew
him and a ball that could have been a touchdown pass landed incomplete listen I know this isn't an easy pass but in
the big moments the best quarterbacks make those throws One play later Jimmy got sacked on fourth down and the
victory was then sealed for the Chiefs after this game the world started to realize maybe Jimmy G isn't that good a
lot of NFL fans viewed him as a game manager before this but after the Super Bowl a lot more criticism came his way
the next season 2020 defenses figured out Garoppolo they knew exactly what he wanted to do and how to stop it Jimmy
thrived throwing quick passes across the middle of the field that was his strength but he struggled mightily
throwing outside the numbers so what did defenses do they dared him to throw outside they clogged the middle of the
field and forced him to make throws he had a low success rate with during this season we also saw Jimmy just look
uncomfortable in the pocket back in New England and before the ACL tear he was able to stand in there and take hits no
problem but I guess after the injury he felt safer dancing around back there in the second game of the 2020 season garoo
sprained his ankle and was ruled out for the next two weeks when he returned in week five he only completed seven of his
17 passes for 77 yards and two interceptions that was just in the first half by the way they benched him for the
final two quarters of the game postgame head coach Kyle Shanahan said he benched Jimmy because he felt he wasn't fully
recovered and he actually turned out to be right garolo played in the team's next three games but in the fourth qu qu
of a week eight matchup with the Seahawks he rained his ankle the sprain was so serious that it kept him out for
the remainder of the season during the off season the 49ers let us all know they were ready to move on from Jimmy G
they sent three first round picks to the Dolphins to move up to the number three spot in the draft why did they do this
to draft a quarterback the 2021 draft was supposed to be keyword supposed to be one of the best quarterback draft
classes in a long time with that pick the 49ers drafted Trey Lance Lance was young and needed to develop so garoo was
named the 49ers starter to open the 2021 season San FR started the season 2-2 but then Jimmy was sidelined for the team's
week five game after suffering a calf injury after returning to the field in week seven he was ruled out yet again in
week 17 thanks to a broken bone and torn ligament in his throwing hands thumb the 49ers finished the season 10- s and
we're heading back to the playoffs but this time around Jimmy didn't play well at all he had his best performance of
that postseason in the wild card game versus the Cowboys where he completed 64% of his passes for 172 yards no
touchdowns and an interception the next game a divisional round match up versus Green Bay he was even worse in that one
he completed just 57% of his passes for 131 yards no touchdowns and another interception but the 49ers were still
able to pull off the big upset victory in that game thanks to an outstanding performance by their defense so the
49ers Were Somehow headed back to the NFC Championship Game this time around they were set to play their division
rival the Rams who they had already beat twice during the regular season well with about a minute remaining the 49ers
were down three and then Jimmy threw This Magnificent interception to cement the L it was looking like that would be
the final play we saw from Garo in a ners uniform as Lance was expected to be the starter in 2022 San Francisco had
serious trade talks with multiple teams about Jimmy but once they found out he was undergoing surgery on his shoulder
that offseason they were no longer interested so the 49ers opted to keep Garoppolo and make him Lance his backup
however in week two things took another unexpected turn Lance went down with a season-ending injury and all of a sudden
garolo was back under Center Jimmy then proceeded to play some of his best football in a very long time in his
first 10 games as a starter he completed 67% of his passes for 2200 yards 15 touchdowns and just four interceptions
turnovers had been a big problem for Garoppolo throughout his career and now he seemed to finally have a handle on
them but then in the midst of a 4-game win streak it all came crashing down in the first quarter of a game versus the
Dolphins Jimmy got sacked and broke his foot that was it his season was over and the 49ers just continued to win without
him following That season Garoppolo was a free agent he left the 49ers who would now be starting Brock pie at QB and
signed a three-year deal with the Raiders there he reunited with his Patriots offensive coordinator Josh
McDaniels who was now the team's head coach things got off to a rocky start for Garoppolo in Vegas he started the
season 1-2 then missed the team's fourth game of the year with a concussion then 2 weeks later he injured his back and
had to be taken to the hospital luckily he avoided a serious injury and only missed one game but then things went
South fast in his first game back he completed just 47% of his passes for 126 yards no touchdown and one interception
it was during this game he overthrew a wide open Devonte Adams which resulted in the viral clip of the receiver on the
sidelines saying this is effing pathetic bro just throw the effing ball man I'm tired of this effing BS after this loss
the Raiders were three and five and head coach Josh McDaniels was fired the very next day less than 24 hours later interm
head coach Antonio Pierce benched garoo it was a move Devonte Adams signed off on rookie aen oconnell was the team's
starting quarterback going forward benching Jimmy G made sense though despite missing two games he led the
league in interceptions at that point in the season that off season the Raiders released Jimmy he then signed with the
Rams to be Stafford's backup this upcoming year well after the first two games because he was just suspended for
violating the League's ped policy the thing with Jimmy Garoppolo is he was a game manager he was a QB you would win
with but not because of he had the success he did in San Francisco because Kyle Shanahan's system didn't ask him to
do much and when it did it did its best to scheme open throws that he was good at also like I mentioned earlier all
those injuries really did affect him you saw him lose some confidence and command out there on top of the physical stuff
he lost too if you want to learn the backstory of the guy that replaced Jimmy in San Francisco check out this video up