When Jimmy Garoppolo decided to sign with the Los Angeles Rams to backup Matthew Stafford instead of pursuing another season as a spot-up starter for a team needing a bridge quarterback like the Minnesota Vikings, the Las Vegas Raiders, or the team that drafted him, the New England Patriots, it turned heads around the NFL.
Why, fans wondered, did a player in his 30s want to effectively take a year off to work as a reserve when he could likely make more money and more of an impact on another team? Well, in the lead-up to his first start of the season, Garoppolo broke down his 2024 experience, letting fans and reporters alike know that he was able to grow a ton from his time working with Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay.
“Well, it was a new offense so that made it difficult in its own way. I still had to study maybe if not more than usual, just to… you're trying to pick up… this is an offense that Matthew and Sean have done for a long time together so there are a lot of layers to it,” Garoppolo told reporters. “Even when I thought I knew it in training camp, the season comes, and now you're game planning, there’s a whole new layer of offense that you learn. It's been a constant process of just picking things up, little details and nuances here and there, but I feel like I'm in a decent spot. I just have to go apply it on Sunday now.”
Could it be Garoppolo, not Sam Darnold, having an incredible time in Minnesota had he jumped to the team? It's impossible to say, but if he puts in the work in Week 18, maybe he'll get that opportunity in 2025.
Sean McVay is proud of Jimmy Garoppolo's time with the Rams
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Discussing his season working alongside Garoppolo in LA, McVay celebrated the long-time journeyman for putting in the work even if fans didn't see it.
“I think what I've seen is just a guy that's approached it like a pro and has been a great teammate. You can see just the respect, the reverence that he has for Matthew and really for each other that they have for one another. It's a really cool quarterback room. [Quarterbacks Coach] Dave Ragone does such a great job. It’s been cool to watch both those guys pour into Stetson [Bennett] as he's continuing to learn,” McVay told reporters.
“Cooper [Kupp] and Puka [Nacua] end up in there a lot. I've just seen a guy that has been so consistent. He’s got a great way about himself. He has used all the practice reps he has accumulated to get better. I think he’s really been a big part of the growth that you've seen from our defense throughout the course of the year. It's hard to be able to get some of the looks that he's able to mimic and emulate when he's simulating the opposing quarterback. He really challenges our guys on the back end. He has a good rapport with the guys that he's playing with on the look team. I think those guys have gotten better as a result of his leadership.”
Will Garoppolo be able to put all of his hard work to good use in Week 18? Will he be able to prove that he deserves another starting spot? Could he establish himself as the heir apparent in LA, what with Stafford being near the end of his career? Or will the Rams simply play a meaningless game, and fans will move on to the playoffs? Fans will find out soon enough.
