The Las Vegas Raiders are hoping that Jimmy Garoppolo can lead them back to the playoffs after the team finished with a 6-11 record during the 2022 season.
Garoppolo is coming off another injury that forced him to miss the end of last year’s campaign, though he underwent a foot procedure right before signing with the Raiders in free agency. While the foot injury was concerning, the quarterback is healthy and made his debut in the team’s second preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams.
By all accounts, Garoppolo looks ready to go for the upcoming year though he will likely need more time to acclimate after spending most of the offseason rehabbing. However, his familiarity with Josh McDaniels’ system should go a long way in getting him up to speed before their Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Although his main job is to be a football player, Garoppolo got to experience what it was like to be an aircraft pilot as he spent time training with the United States Air Force to fly a fighter jet via Whistle:
Sponsored by USAA, Whistle’s “I Can Do That” series features athletes and celebrities in unfamiliar settings and they explore whether or not they’re able to overcome the challenge. In Garoppolo’s case, he was granted the opportunity to visit Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada where he undergoes rigorous training to fly an F-16 fighter jet.
Following the training and preparation, Garoppolo boards the jet with a pilot and they take flight. The signal-caller gets an overhead view of Las Vegas before the pilot shifts gears and pushes the speed up to nine Gs.
At the end, Garoppolo expresses his excitement for the ride and thanks the Air Force for allowing him to fly. It’s a fun video and surely an unforgettable experience for Garoppolo who makes his living on the ground.
Stephen A. Smith blasts Jimmy Garoppolo for his comments about 49ers
Garoppolo joins the Raiders after spending six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers, like the Raiders, had their own quarterback question to answer as they had to decide between Brock Purdy and Trey Lance.
San Francisco ultimately traded Lance to the Dallas Cowboys and Garoppolo noted that the franchise hasn’t done a good job of handling tough situations. Not long after, Garoppolo drew the ire of Stephen A. Smith who blasted him for his comments and told him to shut up.
