Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is a well-traveled journeyman who is like the Maytag repairman in Tinseltown. He is not used or seen very often. Notwithstanding, the Rams believe they have the best backup quarterback in football.
Garoppolo Is Hardly Seen, But Rams Like to Know He Is There Just in Case
Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford is durable. He does not miss games and is rarely taken out for even a series. He is also never benched for lack of performance. The durability and stability make Stafford worth $160 million to the Rams.
For Garoppolo, it means he hardly sees the field. However, Garoppolo knows his role and he knew what it would be like when he signed on to be Stafford’s primary backup. Garoppolo has yet to play a down this season in a regular game, but he will have the chance to go the distance on Sunday in a Week 18 start against the Seattle Seahawks.
Rams coach Sean McVay likes to know he has Garoppolo around for reasons such as this.
“I think what I’ve seen is just a guy that’s approached it like a pro and has been a great teammate,” McVay said.
“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. Cooper [Kupp] and Puka [Nacua] end up in there a lot.”
McVay likes the consistency Garoppolo shows in practice and in meetings. It’s like having another coach on the field as he works with the defense at times to get them ready.
“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,” McVay said.
“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.”
For Garoppolo this position takes him back a while. When he was in his last two spots with the Las Vegas Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers, he was the man in charge of the huddle. Now, he is a backup. He has not been a backup since he backed up Tom Brady with the New England Patriots.
“I think just a different role,” Garoppolo said.
“I haven’t been in this role since my [New England] Patriots days so it was definitely a little different. Doing scout team… there’s a part of the scout team that I really enjoy. You get to study the other quarterback, what he does.
You get to see how he uses cadences, how he uses motions and different things like that. I always think that you could find something in everyone’s game and apply it to your own. That’s really what I’ve tried to do this year running the scout team and it’s done some good for me. Just have to go out there on Sunday and show it.”
Garoppolo was originally drafted by the Patriots and was being groomed to take over for Brady. He was the 62nd pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons in New England and was then traded to the 49ers where he played for six seasons.
He lost his job to Brock Purdy in 2022 and became expendable. After suffering an injury against the Miami Dolphins, Purdy took over and the rest is history. After one season with the Raiders, he moved on to serve as Stafford’s backup in Los Angeles.