No Matthew Stafford, no problem.
At least for now.
With the Rams’ star quarterback sidelined because of what coach Sean McVay has described as back soreness, 12th-year pro Jimmy Garoppolo is running the offense as the Rams prepare for their Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans.
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“I found out pretty suddenly,” Garoppolo said of his elevation to the first-team offense on the eve of training camp. “But that’s the life of a backup quarterback.”
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Stafford, entering his 17th season, is expected to join workouts next week, according to McVay. If Stafford’s back problem persists, that could be trouble for a team that is expected to be a Super Bowl contender.
In the meantime, they are relying on Garoppolo, who is something of a luxury for McVay and the Rams.
Garoppolo, 33, is 43-21 as an NFL starter in stints with the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders. He led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2019 season and has played in seven postseason games.
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“Jimmy Garoppolo is a starting quarterback,” McVay said. “Obviously, we feel so fortunate to have somebody like Matthew leading the way, but Jimmy’s done a great job.”
Garoppolo signed with the Rams before last season after an injury-plagued 2023 season with the Raiders.
Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo passes at training camp on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The belief by many was that it would be a one-year residency with the Rams before Garoppolo sought a starting opportunity elsewhere.
During the offseason, the Rams explored possibly trading Stafford before reaching agreement on an adjusted contract. Garoppolo, who had been regarded as a bridge possibility if the Rams moved on from Stafford, signed another one-year deal in March worth just over $3 million, according to Overthecap.com.
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“Sean plays a big role,” Garoppolo said when asked why he decided to remain with the Rams. “Honestly, it’s just the people here. … Having been around 12 years, you see both sides of it — and the other side can get old real quick. … You’ve got to be around good people.”
Garoppolo played in only one game last season. He completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception, in a 30-25 defeat by the Seattle Seahawks in the regular-season finale.
Now he is preparing for his 12th season.
Read more: Rams open training camp: Analyzing their biggest concerns
Can he envision playing 17 seasons, ala Stafford?
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“I’m taking it year by year,” he said. “I would say, how does the body feel? How does the mentality feel?
“I never want to half-ass anything in my life. So I’ve loved this game of football and I’ve always given it everything I have. So when the day comes, I think I’ll know.
“But we ain’t there yet.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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