Jimmy Garoppolo’s New Beginning with the Los Angeles Rams: Overcoming a Two-Game Suspension
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is embarking on a fresh chapter in his NFL career as he joins the Los Angeles Rams following a two-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders. The 32-year-old signed a one-year contract with his new team on Tuesday, marking a significant change of scenery for the experienced quarterback.
However, Garoppolo will begin this new journey under less-than-ideal circumstances. He was handed a two-game suspension by the NFL for violating its policy on Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) during his tenure with the Raiders. The suspension will keep Garoppolo sidelined for the Rams’ first two regular-season games.
During a press conference, Garoppolo addressed the error regarding his TUE application: “I mean, just messed up the TUE when I first got to Las Vegas. I hate to joke about it, but just messed up the TUE. Bad timing, I guess.”
The NFL allows players to receive TUEs for the use of prohibited substances to treat diagnosed medical conditions. These exemptions are granted at the discretion of the NFL’s independent administrator of performance-enhancing substance policy and the medical advisor for the substance abuse program. TUEs can only be granted retroactively if emergency use of the banned substance is necessary to prevent morbidity or mortality from a disease or disorder.
Despite this setback, Garoppolo remains optimistic and plans to make the most of his time with the Rams. He stated, “Hopefully, we’ll get some dubs and start off 2-0 and keep things moving. But it’s just one of those situations. It is what it is. You got to deal with it and just stay positive.”
Garoppolo will serve as the Rams’ backup and restore quarterback behind starter Matthew Stafford. With his extensive experience as a backup and restore, having done so with the New England Patriots during their Super Bowl-winning seasons (XLIX and LI), Garoppolo is well-equipped to contribute to the Rams as they embark on their 2023 campaign.
Despite the circumstances surrounding his arrival in Los Angeles, Garoppolo expressed excitement about starting this new journey: “I’m excited to start this new journey. I don’t know exactly what is in store for me. But yeah, maybe reset, reinvent, whatever you want to call it – I’m just excited to get back on the football field and start slinging around with some new guys. I love football.”
