Jimmy Garoppolo has had a difficult year thus far, having lost his starting job with the San Francisco 49ers to Trey Lance but recovering it after Lance’s injury in 2022, when he broke his foot. Once his signing and following press conference were moved from Thursday to Friday, the pattern persisted this week. Garoppolo stated on Friday that the reason for the delay was related to the “language” in his contract and that he had “no fear” about reaching an agreement with the Raiders. He claimed that the last negotiations were “collaborative and coming together” and that both parties “understood what they wanted to get done.”
Here is some commentary from the new Raiders starting quarterback regarding his decision to join the Silver and Black.
Reintroducing the Josh McDaniels offense: “There’s just a different philosophy behind it, Kyle’s [Shanahan] offense against Josh’s approach,” Garoppolo said. “The first phase, in my opinion, should be a mental makeover like that, followed by language relearning. Comparable like switching from Spanish to French, perhaps. It will finish quickly. Josh’s offense, in my opinion, has improved over time. I just have to grab it as soon as I can. Fun will be had.”
Still much to demonstrate: “Of course I’m attempting to win a Super Bowl. Every player says that at their first press conference, but that is not my intention. I want to get the Silver and Black back to where it should be. I am aware that going through it in San Francisco is not an easy process. It will be worthwhile though.”
It felt like home: When asked about how two of the guys who chose him in New England now control the Raiders, he stated, “The familiarity with Josh [McDaniels], Dave [Ziegler], and the GM — all that played a role.” This influenced his decision to join Las Vegas.
Eager to roll up his sleeves: “[I’m] coming in with the idea that [I have] to earn everything. “I don’t want to hear anything like “you’re the franchise guy” or anything similar. I want to work hard to earn it.
The twisting track of his nine-season NFL journey: “That’s the NFL. You never know what your journey will include, but as long as you keep your composure and have confidence in yourself, wonderful things will come your way. I’ve had the good fortune to work with excellent instructors and teammates, and positive things have occurred for me.
Jimmy GQ remarked of the new attire and uniforms, “It’s pretty cool, it truly is. I get to dress entirely in black all the time. The fact that you signed with the Raiders is among its coolest aspects.
Teaming up with the cool kids: “When I was younger, I learned about the Raiders from my dad, who liked both the Bears and the Raiders despite being a Bears supporter,” said Garoppolo. He frequently referred to them as the “cool crew.” The group that everyone wanted to support. The badasses. Hard-nosed men like Ken Stabler and others come to mind. We are attempting to return to that.
“I’m trying to bring energy in,” said the energizer. Attempting to have everyone moving in the same direction and on the same page.
“I’m attempting to earn it, as I’ve already stated. I’m not the leader just because I’m the quarterback, though. Because guys respect and believe in me, I want to be the leader, and I believe it starts with hard effort. Sports fans watch it. We’re performing for the audience out there, and if we can do it well, everything will be OK.”
Josh McDaniels, the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders and a former offensive coordinator for the Patriots, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo get together in Las Vegas: The quarterback said, “He’s very, very brilliant. “taught me how to play football in the NFL, but he also values success. Speaking with him revealed that he valued winning, which is not always true of all NFL players. It’s challenging to pass up an opportunity like that.”
In the offseason, the Raiders added fullback Jakob Johnson, wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, along with former New England Patriot quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.