NFL Suspends Jimmy Garoppolo Two Games For Violating PED Policy; Raider Cut Next?
It's only February, and the new season is already off to a bad start for Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback will miss the first two games of the 2024 season for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Garoppolo's violation is related to his "using a prescribed medication without having a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption."
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On Friday's episode of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee explained that players often seek therapeutic exemptions for a number of prescriptions, including Adderall, Viagra and even testosterone. But it's an arduous process that requires approval from four or five different doctors.
"Believe me, everybody is attempting to get some of these therapeutic exemptions," McAfee said.
"But everybody knows the process. It's a long one, it's a tedious one. There's independent doctors, there's team doctors. Once you get through it, though, there's quite a benefit on the other side to potentially make you a little bit more focused, a little bit more jacked, a deficiency that you had, obviously, that needed to be fixed. Obviously, Garoppolo didn't go through the proper process."
Jimmy Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.5 million contract with Las Vegas last off-season after spending the first nine years of his career in New England then San Francisco. His signing was initially delayed because he needed surgery on his foot, but he eventually made it back for training camp.
But Jimmy G managed to start just six games for the Raiders, going 3-3 with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. Rookie fourth-rounder Aidan O'Connell was named the starter after that.
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Per Schefter, the Raiders are expected to release Garoppolo before the fifth day of the new league year in mid-March, when he would earn an $11.25 million roster bonus.
Assuming a new team picks up the veteran QB, Garoppolo will be allowed to participate in all off-season activities and training camp. His two-week suspension will start at the beginning of the regular season.