Jimmy Garoppolo‘s strong play for the San Francisco 49ers here in 2022 may have bought him more time in the Bay Area.
Garoppolo unfortunately suffered a fractured foot in Sunday’s Week 13 win over the Miami Dolphins, abruptly ending his season. However, 2022 may not be it for the 31-year-old signal-caller in red and gold.
In Week 2, starting quarterback Trey Lance suffered a gruesome season-ending ankle fracture against the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers started Garoppolo every game prior to his foot injury, and they control their own destiny for the NFC West division title.
Garoppolo’s contract expires after this season, so he could choose a new home in free agency if he so desires. But according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Jimmy G and the 49ers “are open to” working together again in 2023:
“A few months after the team and Garoppolo amicably decided to move on, only to get back together again in a wild sequence of events that led to him being their starting QB once again, both sides are open to him being back for the 2023 season, sources say.”
Rapoport added that the two sides “have maintained a good relationship throughout”, adding that San Francisco appreciated Garoppolo’s “willingness to work out on the rehab field during training camp at a point when he could’ve simply said he didn’t want to and forced his release.”
Garoppolo was widely expected to get traded in the offseason, but his offseason shoulder surgery left teams concerned and thus no move was made. The Carolina Panthers were widely linked to Garoppolo, but the team wound up trading for 2018 first overall pick Baker Mayfield.
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Heading into Sunday’s Week 13 afternoon against the Dolphins, Garoppolo was 6-3 as San Francisco’s starter with 2,381 passing yards and 16 touchdowns against only four interceptions.
The 49ers gave up a king’s ransom so they could move up via the Dolphins and take Lance with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The North Dakota State product made two starts last season in place of an injured Garoppolo.
Though his stats have never been eye-popping, Garoppolo’s career record speaks for itself. He’s 39-17 as a starter, and the 49ers have played in two of the last three NFC Championship Games under his watch. Garoppolo also helped San Fran to a Super Bowl 54 appearance, where they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Whether it’s in San Francisco or elsewhere in 2023, the bottom line is that Garoppolo has set himself up for a nice pay day beyond this season.
