The Jimmy Garoppolo Era is over in Las Vegas, if it ever really began in the first place.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the quarterback was suspended two games for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Substance Policy. Specifically, Garoppolo reportedly used a prescribed medication without having a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption.
The Therapeutic Use Exemption in the NFLPA’s handbook mainly covers drugs banned for ADHD, male pattern baldness, and hypertension, among other ailments.
“If you have been or are seeking to be treated by a physician with a banned substance for any condition (including ADD/ADHD, male pattern baldness, hypertension, hypogonadism, or hypopituitarism),” the Therapeutic Use Exemption reads, “you must have your physician file a TUE application with the Independent Administrator. If you test positive for a prohibited substance without having been granted a TUE, it will constitute a positive test and will be referred for administrative action.
Garoppolo will not appeal the suspension.
In addition to the two games missed, Schefter also reported that Garoppolo will likely no longer be with the Raiders going forward. According to the ESPN Insider, the Raiders are expected to cut Garoppolo before the fifth day of the new league year. Keeping Garoppolo on the roster past the fifth day of the year would earn Garoppolo an $11.25 million bonus.
The 33-year-old quarterback signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract to reunite with former New England Patriots offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels. After years of success in the Shanahan offense, Garoppolo looked like a shell of his former self in Las Vegas, seeing dropoffs in completion percentage, touchdown rates, success rates, and yards per attempt with a new career-high in interception rate. Garoppolo started six of the Raiders’ first eight games before McDaniels was fired, leading to a permanent benching in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell.
According to OverTheCap, the Raiders would incur a dead cap hit of $17 million and save $11.2 million by cutting Garoppolo on the anticipated timeline. Additional contributions from @TexansCap on X note that there is language in Garoppolo’s contract that voids Garoppolo’s signing guarantee if he violates the NFL’s PES policy.
