New Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will have to wait to make his first impression.
The 31-year-old will not be participating in OTAs as he recovers from foot surgery, a procedure he had after inking a three-year, $72.75 million free agent deal with Las Vegas.
The Raiders discovered during Garoppolo’s physical that he would need surgery on his foot, according to The Athletic. He underwent the procedure after being introduced as their new quarterback on March 17 — an introduction that was delayed a day without an explanation.
The Illinois native suffered a left foot injury on Dec. 6, 2022 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers and their team doctors believed that he would not require surgery, per The Athletic. Raiders’ medical professionals decided he would need surgery after his physical with the team and he will now likely be held out from practice until at least July.
“We’re always going to err at this time of the year on being smart,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said Thursday. “We don’t play a football game for 3 1/2 months, so try to rush [players] out there in May, it’s a poor decision. …
“Nothing has happened that would surprise us based on the information we had. We don’t play a game for 100 days. Everything that’s happened since we signed Jimmy, we knew ahead of time. … Certainly had an awareness of all of it. Our preference is not to push it and rush anybody back at this point in time.”
A source told ESPN that “all trending great,” with Garoppolo’s recovery.
Garoppolo spent the last six seasons with the 49ers. Tom Brady’s former understudy with the Patriots led San Fran to the 2020 Super Bowl where they fell just short to the Kansas City Chiefs.
His December foot injury ultimately put an end to his career under Kyle Shanahan as rookie Brock Purdy emerged bringing the Niners all the way to the NFC championship game where they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 49ers also drafted quarterback Trey Lance third overall in the 2021 NFL draft, a year after Garoppolo led them to the Super Bowl.
Prior to his career in San Francisco, he got started as Brady’s backup in New England from 2013-2015. Brady just recently bought into the Raiders and is now a minority owner of the team, pending league approval.
Garoppolo has thrown for 14,289 yards and 87 touchdowns in his nine-year career.
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