Jimmy Garoppolo Takes Subtle Dig at Former Teams Over Internal Culture

Jimmy Garoppolo has begun the latest chapter of his career after signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams this offseason.

The 32-year-old quarterback will serve as a backup to main guy Matthew Stafford, a role he has played before. His veteran voice also will be a welcome addition to the locker room.

After a series of misfortunes over the past few years, Garoppolo acknowledged that he's in a good place with the Rams. In a report from The Athletic's Jeff Howe , the two-time Super Bowl champion lauded the Rams' culture while seemingly taking a subtle dig at his former teams.

“This place allows you to be yourself, too, which is different than other places I’ve been," Garoppolo said. "You’re getting pressed with a sense of urgency but in a good way.

"Everyone wants to win. Everyone wants to perform well. They do it in the right way here. They push you positively."

The change in scenery has worked for Garoppolo, who described his past struggles as "chaotic at times." The seasoned signal-caller played backup to Tom Brady on the New England Patriots, had an up-and-down and injury-riddled stint with the San Francisco 49ers and had an eventful one-year run with the Las Vegas Raiders.

By not being the Rams' main cog, there's less pressure for Garoppolo. He's happy that he can focus on just playing football under coach Sean McVay, whom he credited as a primary reason for why he chose the Rams. He added that he's fully healthy following his foot surgery last year.

"Being in this role, I get to experiment with some things, being with the 2s," Garoppolo said. "I get to be myself. I haven’t had that in a little while, so it feels nice to get back to that."

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