Unproven Jimmy Garoppolo will be under center for the first quarter of the year.
Advertisement
There was a fleeting moment last season when the spot Garoppolo now finds himself in almost played itself out.
While Bill Belichick was quick to make it clear Garoppolo was his starter, as well as remind all that it is Brady’s job when the veteran returns, the coach wasn’t so interested in mapping out exactly how he will get his young passer ready this summer to make his National Football League starting debut opening night in Arizona. Brady was allowed to play while his case continued to wind through the courts.
“It’s exciting, that’s for sure”, said Garoppolo. He was here when I got here so I didn’t draft him, but he basically spent his whole career playing for me and he did everything we ever asked him to do.
Gronkowski says there is a lot to like about the way Garoppolo plays the game.
To most Patriots fans, the 24-year-old is still largely a mystery. The soon-to-be 39-year-old quarterback also had nice touchdown throws to wide receiver Aaron Dobson, and he completed a missile on a deep crossing pattern to tight end Rob Gronkowski in his first throw of 11-on-11s.
That opportunity started quickly during team drills on Thursday. His former college coach, Dino Babers, compared Garoppolo’s release to that of Hall of Famer Dan Marino.
“It’s hot. I saw the temps, so I figured I needed to take the beard off”, Ninkovich said. “You might only get one, so you’ve got to make the best of it”.
In his second press conference of camp, Bill Belichick was asked if there were any chance Jimmy Garoppolo could steal Tom Brady’s job if he performs well in his four weeks replacing the suspended star quarterback.
On Friday afternoon, The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin checked in with Tony Massaortti and Trenni Kusnierek (filling in for Michael Felger) to discuss the latest from training camp.
“I’m just trying to go out there and get my game right, trying to get the offence ready as much as we can”, Garoppolo said. “We have three players we want to work with”.
“We just go about our business”.
Just because Garoppolo is the starter doesn’t mean he will alter his mentality.
Will this new spotlight help with that?
Advertisement
“Nothing has really changed”, he said.
