Super Bowl-winning QB makes clear decision on retirement as Jets emerge as landing spot

Jimmy Garoppolo may not yet be done with playing football after all.

Having strongly considered retiring from the NFL after 12 years during the off-season, the 34-year-old is reportedly open to continue playing.

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According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, a move isn’t imminent, with the veteran quarterback acknowledging that it might take an injury to a QB or a team in need of a veteran for him to make his return to the league.

“Jimmy Garoppolo back in April, Ian Rapoport reported, that he was considering retirement … Here’s my understanding with Jimmy G, in the right situation, he will come back, and he will play football,” Garafolo explained on Wednesday.

“He has not decided to retire. He just needed some time to himself this offseason, and now he is refreshed and renewed.

“I don’t think anything is imminent. I wouldn’t expect him to sign with anybody. Maybe it’s going to have to be an injury to a quarterback, and all of a sudden you need a veteran guy to come in and be part of the mix, if not the starter.

“Jimmy Garoppolo is not retiring from my understanding; he will continue to play.”

This wouldn’t be the first time that ‘Jimmy G’ has had to bide his time.

Garoppolo was selected with the 62nd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft – the highest-drafted QB by the New England Patriots since Drew Bledsoe was taken first overall in 1993.

But he famously entered an organization with arguably the greatest quarterback of all time in Tom Brady at the helm.

In three seasons in New England, the former Eastern Illinois star made just two starts and featured in 17 total games, completing 63 of his 94 pass attempts for 690 yards and five touchdowns to zero interceptions.

He would however win two Super Bowl rings during his time there.

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In 2018, Garoppolo agreed to a five-year, $137.5 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers, which was the largest contract in NFL history at the time.

He tore his ACL just six weeks into his debut season, and wouldn’t complete a full season until 2019, when he led the Niners to Super Bowl LIV, where they fell 31-20 to Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

He would depart the team in 2023, joining the Las Vegas Raiders where he featured in four games before being released after one season, and later joined the Los Angeles Rams as a backup to 2025-MVP winner Matthew Stafford.

Jets could be perfect match

As it pertains to his future, the New York Jets have emerged as a surprise potential landing spot.

The Jets offloaded Justin Fields at the start of the offseason by trading him to the Chiefs, before going full-circle and trading for former signal caller Geno Smith.

But there remains very little depth behind the veteran, with rookie Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook, and Bailey Zappe listed on the squad prior to the start of Jets training camp.

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Reports circulated earlier in the offseason that the Jets were looking to pair Smith with his former Seattle Seahawks teammate Russell Wilson, before the Super Bowl winner opted to retire in favor of taking on a media role with CBS.

With Garoppolo still having not fully committed to finding a new home, the Jets are in a very similar situation, which could make the pairing perfect.

“Rookie Cade Klubnik is the fan favorite because … well, the success-starved fan base is desperate for a QB of the future,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini explained on Thursday.

“No offense to Bailey Zappe, but it would be a bummer if he wins the No. 2 job. Klubnik is a heady player with plenty of moxie, and he has a strong ally in offensive coordinator Frank Reich.

“The Jets want to know what they have in Klubnik before next year’s draft. If neither player shines in camp, they could go looking to sign a veteran.”

That veteran could yet become Jimmy G.

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