New Jimmy Garoppolo Rumors Reveal NFL Retirement Buzz Amid 2026 Free Agency

Jimmy Garoppolo may be calling it a career.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the veteran quarterback—who spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams—is "considering retirement."

Garoppolo, 34, has made 85 total appearances in his NFL career (65 starts), throwing for 15,828 yards, 96 touchdowns and 52 interceptions.

His career has included stops with the New England Patriots (2014-16)—where he won two Super Bowl titles as Tom Brady's backup—the San Francisco 49ers (2017-22), Las Vegas Raiders (2023) and the Rams (2024-25).

The belief was that Garoppolo would have interest around the NFL as a backup, but the fact that he's contemplating retirement would certainly explain why he hasn't settled on a team.

As Albert Breer of SI.com reported earlier in April, "Garoppolo is still available, and I think, at this stage of his career, the likelihood is that he'll find a place as a high-end backup. His experience with the Rams was a good one, and I'd think that door would still be open, and perhaps set him up to be a bridge quarterback whenever Matthew Stafford decides to walk away."

Nate Atkins of The Athletic also reported in March that the Rams had interest in bringing Garoppolo back.

Instead, the Rams currently only have Stetson Bennett on the roster as a backup option. The team could address that at the draft, where selecting a long-term replacement for the 38-year-old Stafford would make sense. Players like Garrett Nussmeier, Drew Allar or Carson Beck, among others, could make sense as developmental options later in the draft.