Jimmy Garoppolo is back in the NFC West... with the Rams

The 49ers have a chance to face their former quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, twice a year this season after he signed a deal with the Rams.

There seemed to be a thought that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would have a tough time landing a job after his brief tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders flamed out halfway through 2023, ultimately leading to him getting benched and then subsequently released just one year into the three-year contract he signed after departing the Niners the previous offseason.

On top of that, Garoppolo was slapped with a two-game suspension after being tested for performance-enhancing substances, and that certainly couldn't have helped his efforts in finding a new home in 2024.

After Vegas released him, though, Jimmy G didn't have to wait too long to find a new home.

And it's ironic where he ends up: the Los Angeles Rams.

Jimmy Garoppolo inks 1-year deal with Rams, could play 49ers twice in 2024

On Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that LA was inking Garoppolo to a one-year deal despite what happened last season and in light of the two-game suspension:

From Los Angeles' vantage point, it gets starting-caliber insurance for incumbent quarterback Matthew Stafford, who like Garoppolo, also has a notable injury history but is the unquestioned starter otherwise.

Additionally, it wouldn't hurt head coach Sean McVay to pick Jimmy G's brain about what Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan is up to as of late.

Garoppolo spent half of 2017 in San Francisco after being traded from the New England Patriots and then signed a lengthy contract that, at the time, made him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history. His tenure with the 49ers lasted until 2022 when he ultimately was replaced by Trey Lance and then Brock Purdy.

Unless Stafford suffers some sort of injury, or there's garbage time, Garoppolo likely won't take the field against his former employer. So, despite both teams being in the NFC West, Jimmy G will probably just hold the clipboard while Stafford deals with the Niners defense.

Still, it would be such an ironic sight to see Garoppolo on the field wearing the blue and yellow while facing off against San Francisco.

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