There’s a new quarterback in town, and he has a lot to say. Here’s everything you need to know about Jimmy Garoppolo + the Raiders.
#5 The initial press conference was postponed
Jimmy Garoppolo is now a Las Vegas Raider, but it took some time. In fact, the original press conference was postponed, leaving many in the dark. Fast forward 24 hours, and Garropolo showed up smiling and ready to answer questions. He even took time to explain the delay.
“It was honestly talking, [contract] language, things like that,” Garoppolo said via PFT. “Both sides, I think, knew what we wanted to get done. It was very collaborative, actually, just us coming together.”
#4 Garoppolo thinks it won’t take long to learn Las Vegas Raiders’ offense
Confidence looks good on a quarterback, and Jimmy Garoppolo showed heaps of it during his press conference. The big question, however, is whether he can back up those big words on the field. His first order of business will be relearning Josh Mcdaniel’s offense, which he claims won’t last long.
“Basically, like going Spanish to French,” Garoppolo said during his first press conference as a Las Vegas Raider. “It won’t take long but Josh’s offense, obviously, has evolved over the years and you’ve just got to pick it up as quickly as possible. But we’ll be fine.”
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#3 Some think Vegas paid too much
The Las Vegas Raiders signed Jimmy Garroppolo to a three-year, $72 million contract, but some are already wondering if it’s worth it.
“The Raiders first tried to trade up to the No. 1 overall pick via the Chicago Bears before making this move,” Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus said. “But this go-around with Josh McDaniels as head coach in Las Vegas was supposed to be different than his first tenure, and all he did this offseason was reunite with old friends and act very Patriots-like, minus the part where he has Tom Brady.”
This deal does give flashbacks to the Raiders’ $121.5 million blunder with Derek Carr, but the money might make more sense here. Garoppolo could end up in Vegas long-term under the right circumstances.
#2 Garappolo claims he wants to earn everything
Jimmy Garoppolo is coming into a highly complex situation with the Raiders, meaning there’s a lot of attention on him. Garoppolo handled this very well during his first press conference. He gave diplomatic answers that showed he knew how to talk to the media.
The problem, however, is that none of what he says lines up with reality. Just look at his “earn everything” statement.
“I’m coming with the mindset that I need to earn everything,” Garoppolo said. “I don’t want to be given any ‘You’re the franchise guy,’ or whatever. I want to come in and earn it. I think it will come through hard work, working with teammates, and being in the facility. All those little things will play a role. But yeah, I don’t want to be given anything; I want to earn it.
Honestly, it’s kind of hypocritical. He already has the starting job without even taking the field for the Las Vegas Raiders, and he wants to talk about earning it.
#1 Josh McDaniels’ character attracted Garoppolo
One of the biggest questions regarding Jimmy Garroppolo is what made him want to be a Raider. Apparently, the decision comes down to a text sent over a year ago.
This is when Garoppolo was heading to the NFC divisional playoffs to face the Packers. He claims that Josh McDaniels texted him before the game and said he was pulling for him. This is supposedly what led Garoppolo to eventually come to Las Vegas.
“It’s simple things like that. … I haven’t really talked to the guy in like four years,” Garoppolo said Friday. “In the NFL, you meet a lot of people. A lot of different personalities—some good, some bad. When you find a good one and you find someone who really cares about winning and cares about you as a player, for him to send that text? He didn’t need to do that. But I don’t know, when you meet a good person, you like to keep them around.”
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