Jimmy Garoppolo failed his physical with the Raiders and had contract reworked as a result

Fascinating information has come to light regarding Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Evidently, the Raiders were slightly worried about Garoppolo’s recovery from a foot injury he suffered with the San Francisco 49ers, and they made sure to address it in their contract with the free agent quarterback after he failed their physical.

“PFT has obtained Garoppolo’s contract,” wrote Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “It contains a critical final clause — Addendum G — that addresses the foot injury Garoppolo suffered during the 2022 season, and for which he had surgery after signing with the Raiders.”

According to Florio, the clause in Garoppolo’s contract has to do with the possibility of the quarterback’s injury being worse than originally imagined, and would allow the Raiders to release him.

“Addendum G is a waiver and release,” added Florio. “In the first paragraph, the waiver acknowledges that, without it, Garoppolo would not pass the team’s physical ‘because of a preexisting medal and middle cuneiform and a fracture of the base of the second metatarsal in the Player’s left foot and that the Club would not enter into an NFL Player Contract with Player.’ It’s the injury he suffered during the 2022 regular season, opening the door for Brock Purdy to play.”

Continuing, Florio added some more context to the situation, explaining that the Raiders still have time to possibly release Garoppolo before paying him if he cannot pass a physical, or be active for at least one regular season game.

“The contract preserves the team’s ability to terminate the agreement with no further obligation, ‘for any reason related to the Waiver and Release attached as Addendum G.’ The waiver becomes null and void if at any time during the 2023 season, Garoppolo passes a physical exam, is active for at least one regular-season game, and does not suffer re-injury to his left foot in the manner described in Addendum G,” Florio wrote. “As originally negotiated, Garoppolo had an $11.25 million signing bonus and a base salary of $11.25 million for 2023. The foot injury resulted in the Raiders removing the signing bonus, with the full $22.5 million becoming base salary in 2023.

“He won’t get any of it until he passes a physical. In the interim, the Raiders can cut him ‘for any reason related’ to Addendum G.”

In short, the Raiders could end up moving on from Jimmy Garoppolo without ever seeing him put on their uniform, or paying him a dime. At the least, Las Vegas is protected, but it’s certainly a unique contract for their quarterback.