Throughout 2024 and even into the 2025 offseason, there was the fleeting hope the San Francisco 49ers would somehow get to face off against their former franchise quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, who returned to the NFC West when he inked a deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
But that would mean L.A. had to be missing its own franchise signal-caller, Matthew Stafford, who despite approaching the twilight of his lengthy career has nevertheless remained healthy enough to face off against the Niners twice last year, beating head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad both times.
That might not exactly be the case in 2025, though.
Stafford is currently dealing with back issues, which have led to him resting during training camp and Garoppolo getting a hefty chunk of first-team reps.
Recently, head coach Sean McVay shed light on what Los Angeles is doing with Stafford in advance of the regular season, saying, "We are going to be week to week with him. I think when you look at it, the end goal is Sept. 7."
But McVay also noted how his squad wants to avoid any injury setback, meaning the door is open for Garoppolo to be QB1 when the Rams host San Francisco for Thursday Night Football in Week 5.
Juicy.
49ers would love to see Jimmy Garoppolo in prime time
Regardless of how fans recall Jimmy G's time in the Bay Area, there's no questioning how awkward things have gotten between the veteran quarterback and his former employer in the years since.
Garoppolo has taken some not-so-subtle potshots at the 49ers despite boasting his best career years there, and fans have noticed. Ever since, Jimmy G's stock value has plummeted, and one has to think coordinator Robert Saleh would love nothing more than to deploy his revamped defense against a familiar quarterback whose tendencies to toss interceptions over the middle of the field and into the hands of a lurking linebacker still evoke fresh memories.
Of course, this is all pending Stafford's own status, and there are plenty of reasons to believe McVay and Co. are just being ultra-cautious with their well-regarded signal-caller.
But, if there are any setbacks with Stafford's back injury, the likelihood of a Jimmy G-versus-Niners showdown would increase significantly.