For the first time in more than a year, Jimmy Garoppolo will get to start an NFL game so the Rams can rest starter Matthew Stafford for the postseason.
Garoppolo, who will get the call for the NFC West-winning Rams against the Seahawks on Sunday in Week 18, hasn’t started in a game since Week 8 in 2023 for the Raiders.
On a bigger level, it’s a chance for Garoppolo, 33, to show the rest of the NFL what he’s still capable of heading into free agency this offseason.
Garoppolo signed a one-year deal with the Rams this past offseason after serving as the primary starter in San Francisco from 2019-22 — making a Super Bowl in 2020 — before a rough year in Las Vegas last season. Numerous injuries have set back his career.
This year, he has spent the majority of his time as the Rams’ scout team quarterback while biding his time for an opportunity to prove what he can do.
“Any time you get on the grass in live action, that’s your resume,” Garoppolo said on Wednesday, according to the Orange County Register. “So that’s how I’ve always approached it. It’ll be no different this week.”
The veteran QB also called the chance to play a “long time coming.”
Rams head coach Sean McVay praised Garoppolo’s professionalism and how he has carried himself all season long.
“What I’ve seen is just a guy that’s approached it like a pro,” McVay said. “I’ve just seen a guy that has been so consistent. He’s got a great way about himself. He’s used all the practice reps that he’s accumulated to get better. He’s really been a big part of the growth that you’ve seen from our defense over the course of the year.”
With Garoppolo starting, third-stringer Stetson Bennett IV will be the backup on Sunday for the regular season finale.
Los Angeles is also weighing whether or not to sit other starters on Sunday.