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Jimmy Garoppolo, right, shown at a 2014 practice with Tom Brady, was drafted by the Patriots as the potential replacement for the New England superstar. (Michael Dwyer / Associated Press)
Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has played once against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, the place where his NFL career began.
Yet, Sunday’s game against the Patriots will mark the 11th-year pro’s true homecoming — even if it will be as a backup.
In 2020, Garoppolo led the San Francisco 49ers to victory over the Patriots. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, however, the stadium was empty.
“I can remember one of the first third downs, I rushed for the first down and yelled — and I heard an echo of my voice,” Garoppolo said. “It wasn’t as climactic as I was hoping for.”
So Garoppolo, Matthew Stafford’s backup, is excited about returning with the Rams.
“It will be cool seeing the whole crowd and everything, cool seeing the stadium be packed out,” he said. “There’s a lot of good people there.”
Read more: Another Rams run to playoffs starts with Kyren Williams running on Patriots
Does Garoppolo expect a warm reception?
“I love the fans — I loved how passionate they were,” Garoppolo said. “They were very straightforward, which was one thing I really appreciated about them.
“You did bad, and they were going to let you know you did bad. And when you did good, they would let you know. But that’s what makes a good sports town, I think.
“So we’ll see, hopefully it’s all good and everything, but they booed Tom Brady when he came back, so you never know.”
The Patriots selected Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 draft, and he was soon dubbed “Jimmy G.”
Jimmy Garoppolo, right, stands next to Matthew Stafford as the Rams backup, just as the quarterback once did as Tom Brady’s backup with the Patriots. (Maria Lysaker / Associated Press)
“The North End of Boston is a big Italian area, so they loved the Garoppolo name,” he said. “As…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-appreciation-jimmy-garoppolo-patriots-235913160.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-11-15 23:59:13
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