Garoppolo Still Weighing His Options
Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t hanging up his cleats just yet. The free-agent quarterback considered retirement earlier this offseason but has not made that call, and he’s open to playing in 2026 in the right situation, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday.
Garafolo posted on X: “Jimmy Garoppolo considered retirement this spring but is very much open to playing this season in the right situation. Nothing imminent but he’s an experienced, veteran QB available for a team that might need one in the near future.”
From The Insiders: Jimmy Garoppolo considered retirement this spring but is very much open to playing this season in the right situation. Nothing imminent but he’s an experienced, veteran QB available for a team that might need one in the near future. pic.twitter.com/Q60E9tFCXD
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 22, 2026
Nothing is imminent. Garafolo added that landing Garoppolo somewhere might take an injury to a starting quarterback, or a team simply deciding it needs more experience in the room. That’s a notably softer framing than “decided not to retire” — this is a door left open, not a comeback announced.
A 12-Year Run With Two Rings
Garoppolo, 34, spent the past two seasons as Matthew Stafford’s backup with the Los Angeles Rams. He’s a 12-season veteran who won two Super Bowl rings during his time with the New England Patriots, though as a backup rather than a starter. His most extensive playing time came with the San Francisco 49ers, where he started 55 of his 85 career games.
Across his career, Garoppolo is 43-21 as a starter with 15,828 passing yards, 96 touchdown passes and 52 interceptions. He’s also gone 4-2 as a starter in the playoffs, a résumé that plays well for any team needing a steady hand off the bench.
| Category | Career Total |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 85 (64 starts) |
| Record as Starter | 43-21-0 |
| Passing Yards | 15,828 |
| Touchdown Passes | 96 |
| Interceptions | 52 |
| Playoff Record as Starter | 4-2 |
Could the Rams Bring Him Back?
A reunion with Los Angeles is the most natural fit on paper, though it’s speculation, not a reported plan. Garoppolo spent his last two seasons as Stafford’s primary backup, and the Rams’ current No. 2 job is unsettled heading into camp — 2026 first-round pick Ty Simpson is competing with fourth-year quarterback Stetson Bennett, and neither separated during OTAs, according to ESPN.
Head coach Sean McVay was asked in early June whether the team might add a veteran quarterback to that mix. His answer was measured. “That’s not something that we’ve really talked about as of right now,” McVay said. “I would never rule it out, but not right now.”
That’s a cooler tone than McVay struck back in late March, before the draft, when he called Garoppolo’s potential return “a big deal for us” and said the QB had “earned the right” to take his time deciding. A lot has changed since then — the Rams used that first-round pick on Simpson, and free-agent target Kirk Cousins signed elsewhere. Whether a Garoppolo reunion still appeals to McVay under the current roster picture is unconfirmed.
Arizona was floated as a possible destination back in early March, when reports linked Garoppolo to the Cardinals and new offensive-minded staff there. Those talks reportedly hit a snag, and Arizona moved on to sign Gardner Minshew instead. That’s old news at this point, not a current option — Garoppolo remains unsigned four months later, and no new team has been reported as pursuing him.
What It Means Going Forward
For now, this is a quarterback keeping his options open rather than a signing in progress. Garoppolo brings exactly the kind of experience a contender wants in an emergency arm — someone who’s started playoff games and won them — without needing to commit to him before camp battles play out around the league. If a starter goes down somewhere in August or September, his phone is likely to ring.
