Former Rolling Meadows High School quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo agrees to record NFL contract

Share

Jimmy Garoppolo entered the 2017 NFL season as a backup quarterback to arguably the best player of all-time at his position, Tom Brady. Entering the 2018 season, Garoppolo, an Arlington Heights native and Rolling Meadows High School alumnus, will be making more money on an average-per-year basis than Brady or any other player in NFL history.

Thursday, Garoppolo and the 49ers reportedly agreed to a five-year, $137.5 million contract that will pay the 26-year-old quarterback an average of $27.5 million per season. 

The 49ers acquired Garoppolo for just a second-round draft pick at the end of October. The move was a surprise to many, considering that the Patriots showed little interest in trading Garoppolo last offseason despite being able to land a first round pick in return.

Garoppolo played in six games for the 49ers in 2017, completing 67.4 percent of his passes for 1,560 yards and seven touchdowns. Garoppolo started the 49ers' final five games, leading San Francisco to a perfect 5-0 record that includes a win over the Bears at Soldier Field.

Garoppolo's rise is remarkable considering where his football career truly started. Coming out of high school, he received few offers to play quarterback at the Division-1 level before ultimately landing at Eastern Illinois University.

Garoppolo has limited experience in the NFL, which makes him receiving such a large contract even more remarkable. In four NFL seasons, he has played in just 23 games with the Patriots and 49ers.

Despite this limited experience, Garoppolo was in high demand across the league before the Patriots ultimately dealt him to the 49ers. In fact, the Bears reportedly were interested in acquiring him before drafting Mitchell Trubisky in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Landing Trubisky by no means is a consolation prize for the Bears. In the end, both the 49ers and Bears landed young starting quarterbacks that should lead their respective franchises for years to come.

Contact Us