Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who once was the NFL’s highest-paid player while with the 49ers, may have played his final snap in the league.
After serving as Matt Stafford’s backup with the Los Angeles Rams the past two seasons, the 34-year-old Garoppolo is a free agent and is considering retirement, the NFL Network reported Monday.
Garoppolo has played in 12 NFL seasons since the New England Patriots drafted him in the second round out of Eastern Illinois in 2014. He’s spent six of those seasons with the 49ers, who acquired him from the Patriots for a second-round pick in 2017 at the NFL trade deadline.
Despite playing just seven games with San Francisco to close that season, the 49ers made Garoppolo the league’s top-paid player. Six months after Garoppolo signed a five-year, $137.5 million deal, both Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers signed deals that surpassed his.
Garoppolo has earned more than $156 million despite starting just 64 games during his 12 years in the league, according to the NFL Network.
Garoppolo’s biggest season in San Francisco was in 2019, when he threw for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns while the 49ers went 13-3 record and advanced to the Super Bowl. However, the 49ers suffered a 31-20 Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.
He left the 49ers after the 2022 season with six-year totals of 13,599 yards, 82 touchdowns and 42 interceptions. Garoppolo signed a 3-year, $67.5 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders but was released after one disappointing season in 2023.
During his career, Garoppolo has completed 67.4% of his passes for 15,828 yards, 96 TDs and 52 interceptions.
Earlier this month at the NFL meetings, Rams coach Sean McVay said he is interested in potentially bringing back Garoppolo as Stafford’s understudy. Garoppolo briefly appeared in three games last season but didn’t attempt a pass. He had -10 yards rushing as all of his plays were kneel downs while the Rams were in victory formation.