James Richard Garoppolo (born November 2, 1991) is an NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). Garoppolo was born and raised in Arlington Heights, Illinois, attended Rolling Meadows High School in Rolling Meadows, and played as a quarterback and linebacker for the Rolling Meadows Mustangs football team. He played in 19 games at quarterback during his junior and senior seasons. He passed for 3,136 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Jimmy Garoppolo is the third of four sons born to Denise and Tony Garoppolo. During a post-game interview November 24, 2019 on Sunday Night Football, and following the 49ers victory over the Green Bay Packers 37-8 (Week 12), Jimmy Garoppolo shouted out to his grandparents among his large Italian family.
Garoppolo played college football at Eastern Illinois and was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Garoppolo experienced two Super Bowls as the backup quarterback after Tom Brady.
As a senior at Eastern Illinois University in 2013, Garoppolo broke Tony Romo’s school records for career passing touchdowns, career passing yards, and passing touchdowns in a season. Garoppolo also won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2013.
Garoppolo did get much playing experience in his two seasons with the New England Patriots. In October 2017, Garoppolo was traded by the Patriots to the San Francisco 49ers with a record-breaking NFL contract. He won his first five starts with his new team as quarterback for San Francisco. Add his two winning starts for New England, and you have a new star quarterback with a 7–0 record as a starter. Such a record not accomplished since Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.
Garoppolo signed a $137.5 million deal with the 49ers, which at the time was the largest contract in NFL history on an annual basis. However, his second season in 2018 with the San Francisco 49ers Garoppolo’s season was prematurely ended when he tore his ACL in Week 3. In his third season, Garoppolo came back to lead the 49ers to their first 8–0 start since 1990 and guarantee their first non-losing season since 2014.
On October 31, 2017, the Patriots traded Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 49ers’ second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Jimmy Garoppolo made his 49ers debut in Week 12 in the final minute of the 49ers’ game against the Seattle Seahawks after starter C. J. Beathard suffered an injury. Garoppolo’s appearance in Week 12 was his first of 2017, as he did not take the field with the Patriots in 2017. On his first play as a 49er, he rushed for six yards; and on the final play of the game, he threw a 10-yard touchdown to Louis Murphy. He finished the last minute with a 24–13 loss — completing both pass attempts for 18 yards and a touchdown.
On November 28, 2017, Garoppolo was named the starter for the 49ers’ Week 13 game against his hometown Chicago Bears. Garoppolo grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois — a suburb of Chicago. On December 3, 2017 with his first start for San Francisco, Garoppolo finished with 293 passing yards and an interception as the 49ers won 15–14.
For Week 14, he recorded 334 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 26–16 victory over the Houston Texans.
For Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans, Garoppolo had a season-high 381 passing yards and a touchdown in a close 25–23 win.
For Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Garoppolo had 242 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and his first career rushing touchdown in the 44–33 victory.
In the regular season finale against the Los Angeles Rams, who were resting most defensive starters to prepare for the playoffs, he accumulated 292 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 34–13 blowout 49ers’ win.
His victories in Weeks 13–17 gave him the 7–0 record in his first seven starts (including his two starts for New England).
With Garoppolo leadership, the 49ers scored on 62 percent of their offensive drives, 11 percent more than the second-place New England Patriots. Compared to the average, NFL teams scored on 35 percent of their drives in 2017, and the 49ers scored on just 29 percent of their 2017 drives without Garoppolo.
Garappolo finished the 2017 season with 1,560 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, five interceptions, 11 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown.
Because Garoppolo was on the Patriots’ roster for eight games before he was traded to the 49ers, an NFC team, he was eligible for payments from the league based on the Patriots’ playoff performance; because the Patriots reached Super Bowl LII, he earned $107,000.
On February 8, 2018, the 49ers and Garoppolo agreed to terms on a 5-year contract worth a maximum of $137.5 million. At the time of his signing, the contract was the largest in NFL history on an annual basis, surpassing that of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. The contract also has nearly $90 million in guarantees in the first three years, also the largest total in NFL history.
2018
For Week 1, Garoppolo lost his first game as a starter with three interceptions in a 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings
For Week 2 the San Francisco 49ers beat the Detroit Lions 30-27.
During Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Garoppolo finished with 251 passing yards for two touchdowns before leaving the game with a left knee injury in the 4th Quarter. Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL, and worked on treatment and rehabilitation of his left knee the rest of the season. The 49ers completed the 2018 season with a 4–12 record.
2019
For Week 1, Garoppolo returned to lead a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Garoppolo threw for 166 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the 31–17 win.
For Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Garoppolo threw for 297 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception as the 49ers won 41–17. The victory marked the first 2-0 start since 2012.
For Week 3 the 49ers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-20 and earned their first 3-0 start since 1998.
For Week 4 San Francisco had a bye.
For Week 5 the San Francisco 49ers beat the Cleveland Browns 31-3. The victory marked their first 4-0 start since 1990, during the Joe Montana era.
For Week 6 the 49ers beat the Los Angeles Rams 20-7. The victory marked their first 5-0 start since 1990, during the Joe Montana era.
For Week 7 the 49ers beat the Washington Redskins 9-0. The victory marked their first 6-0 start since 1990, during the Joe Montana era.
For Week 8 the 49ers beat the Carolina Panthers 51-13. The victory marked their first 7-0 start since 1990, during the Joe Montana era.
For Week 9 on Thursday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, Garoppolo threw for 317 yards and 4 touchdowns as the 49ers won 28-25. The victory marked their first 8-0 start since 1990, during the Joe Montana era.
For Week 10 on Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks, Garoppolo threw for 248 yards, a touchdown, and an interception as the 49ers lost 27-24, breaking their 8-game winning streak for 2019. In Joe Montana’s 1990 season, the San Francisco 49er continued to earn a 10-0 start, but lost to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12 of the 1990 season.
For Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals, Garoppolo threw for 424 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions as the 49ers won 36-26.
For Week 12 on NBC Sunday Night Football, Garoppolo passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns in the 37–8 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
See also …