Josh McDaniels uses Belichick playbook to address Jimmy Garoppolo injury
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels channeled Bill Belichick to let the world know that he’s not nervous about Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury.
There is concern regarding Las Vegas Raiders’ starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
After signing him to a three-year, $72.75 million contract, Garoppolo underwent surgery on his foot that he broke last season while playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Then it became known that there is an injury waiver for Garoppolo’s foot that would allow the Raiders to release him from his contract.
Raiders fans are panicking about the thought of Brian Hoyer or Aiden O’Connell starting games for the team this upcoming season
While speaking with the media on Thursday, McDaniels was asked about the “anxiety” that Raiders fans are feeling about Garoppolo’s injury situation and his status for training camp. McDaniels let those fans know that he has “no anxiety.”
The quote comes courtesy of ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.
Josh McDaniels has ‘no anxiety’ regarding Jimmy Garoppolo’s availability for training camp
“I’m not going to put a timeline or a day on anything,” said McDaniels, h/t ESPN.
It’s concerning if you are a fan of a team that committed a hefty three-year contract to a quarterback with the expectation of contending for a playoff spot at minimum. But McDaniels has confidence that Garoppolo will be good to go for the season.
ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio revealed the injury waiver in Garoppolo’s contract, and one portion stuck out.
“In the second paragraph, Garoppolo expressly acknowledges and waives the risk of further injury, including potential ‘permanent disability’ by continuing his career. Player also understands that such condition has decreased his ability to play professional football,” the waiver states, ‘and that continuing to play professional football may result in deterioration, aggravation, or re-injury of the existing conditions rendering Player physically unable to perform the services that would be required of Player by an NFL Player Contract.’”
As for the injury waiver, that can go away once Garoppolo passes a physical exam, is active for at least one regular season game, and that he doesn’t re-injure his foot in the way described in the waiver.
Last season, Garoppolo wasn’t expected to start. But a broken ankle suffered by Trey Lance forced Garoppolo back into the starter’s role. In 11 games played (10 starts), he threw for 2,437 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 67.2 percent of his passes. But in Week 13, Garoppolo suffered the aforementioned foot injury.
While McDaniels isn’t stressing the Garoppolo situation, Raiders fans want to see the quarterback take the field at some point this year, and not have to endure a nightmare situation.
