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How Many Rings Does Jimmy Garoppolo Have?

After being drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft by the New England Patriots, Garoppolo served as the primary backup for superstar quarterback Tom Brady. [1]

As a reserve, Garoppolo collected two Super Bowl rings in 2014 and 2016 as the Patriots defeated the Seahawks and the Falcons. [2, 3]

However, he didn’t appear in either game due to his reserve status. 

Following the trade to the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 [4], Garoppolo assumed the full-time starting role and took the 49ers to the Superbowl in 2019/2020. However, the 49ers were defeated by the Kansas Chiefs despite holding a 10-point 4th-quarter lead. [5]

Key Takeaways

  • Garoppolo won two Super Bowl rings in his first three years in the league as Tom Brady’s backup for the New England Patriots.
  • After being traded to the San Francisco 49ers, Garoppolo appeared in another Super Bowl as the starter, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Garoppolo is a free agent at the end of the 2022/2023 season, though it’s unlikely he’ll return to the 49ers.

Backing Up Brady and 2016 Success

Despite the presence of Tom Brady, the Patriots decided to draft Jimmy Garoppolo with the 62nd overall pick in the 2014 draft. This came as a surprise to some, and there was speculation that Brady may have been offended by the Patriots drafting his potential successor. But both Garoppolo and Brady have refuted these claims. [6]

While Garopollo didn’t play in the 2014 Super Bowl, he was active for the game and on the sidelines for one of the most iconic plays in NFL history.

He attempted just four passes in his second year, but the fallout from the Deflategate scandal in 2016 opened the door for Garoppolo after Brady was suspended for the first four games. [7]

Garoppolo played well in his first two starts, throwing four touchdowns and zero interceptions, however, an injury prevented him from starting the next two weeks, and he returned to the bench when Brady returned. [8]

Besides a few pass attempts in garbage time, Garoppolo didn’t see the field. But he was once again on the sideline for a Super Bowl, watching Brady orchestrate the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. 

Read more: HOW MANY RINGS HAS TOM BRADY WON IN HIS CAREER?

But Garoppolo had shown enough flashes to garner interest from other teams. On October 31st, 2017, Garoppolo’s time with the Patriots came to an end as he was shipped to San Francisco for a 2nd round pick. [9]

The 2019 Run to the Super Bowl

Garoppolo was immediately inserted as the starter, helping turn around a lackluster 49ers team and leading them to five straight victories to end the season. [10]

But his 2018 season was cut short after just three weeks when he tore his ACL. [11]

He returned healthy for Week 1 the following year and started every game for the 49ers, tossing 27 touchdowns as the 49ers claimed the best record in the NFC. [12]

After easily dispatching the Vikings and Packers, the 49ers took on the juggernaut Chiefs for the Super Bowl. Garoppolo struggled on the big stage, throwing two interceptions as the 49ers blew a ten-point fourth-quarter lead, culminating in an overthrow by Garoppolo. [13]

Close Call in 2021/2022 and the 49ers Draft Justin Fields

Garopollo and the 49ers haven’t been back to the Super Bowl since, with ankle injuries torpedoing large portions of the following season for the quarterback. [14]

Injuries and his subpar statistics influenced the 49ers’ decision to trade up in the 2021 draft for quarterback Trey Lance, indicating that Garoppolo was no longer the quarterback of the future. [15]

But he remained the starter that season though he did miss one game with an ankle injury and was diagnosed with a fractured finger in week 16. [16]

Despite the injury, he still started all three of the 49ers’ playoff games including an upset of the top-seeded Green Bay Packers before falling in the NFC Championship game to the Rams. [17]

Fields was installed as the starter to begin the 2022 season with Garoppolo slated as his backup after the 49ers were unable to trade him. [18]

Fields went down with a season-ending injury in Week 2, opening the door once again for Garoppolo. But Garoppolo himself went down with an injury after leading the 49ers to a 7-3 record as the starter. [19]

Garoppolo can be a free agent at the end of the season and will be able to choose his next team. Despite failing to post the same gaudy statistics as quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, Garoppolo’s teams have consistently won, and it seems like he’ll find a job as a starting quarterback and continue his quest for a third ring.

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References

  1. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GaroJi00.htm
  2. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201502010sea.htm
  3. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm
  4. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GaroJi00.htm
  5. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202002020kan.htm
  6. https://www.49ers.com/news/what-jimmy-garoppolo-learned-from-competing-alongside-tom-brady
  7. https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/new-england-patriots/deflategate-timeline
  8. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GaroJi00/gamelog/2016/
  9. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GaroJi00.htm
  10. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GaroJi00/gamelog/2017/
  11. https://www.draftsharks.com/fantasy/injury-history/jimmy-garoppolo/6981
  12. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GaroJi00/gamelog/2019/
  13. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202002020kan.htm
  14. https://www.draftsharks.com/fantasy/injury-history/jimmy-garoppolo/6981
  15. https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/49ers-trey-lance-trade-2021-nfl-draft-questioned-league-execs#:~:text=And%20in%202021%2C%20San%20Francisco,the%20future%20of%20the%20franchise.
  16. https://www.draftsharks.com/fantasy/injury-history/jimmy-garoppolo/6981
  17. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sfo/2022.htm
  18. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10050159-jimmy-garoppolo-rumors-49ers-commanders-had-trade-in-place-before-qb-had-surgery
  19. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sfo/2022.htm
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