Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has announced that Matthew Stafford will be put on rest in the upcoming final game of the regular season against the Seattle Seahawks and that Jimmy Garoppolo will start instead, per ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Sean McVay announced Matthew Stafford will rest Sunday vs. the Seahawks and that the Rams will start QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2025More News: 49ers Rule Out Brock Purdy for Final Regular Season Game
McVay talked up Garoppolo earlier in the season, so it is not terribly surprising that he would elevate him in the season finale.
"I just think it's the ability for him to be able to activate the parts of the field and make quick decisions," McVay described Garoppolo. "He has such a command too. Sometimes you get some of these younger quarterbacks and they're not quite as comfortable taking command of the huddle."
Earlier in the week, McVay confirmed that he plans to rest most of the team's key starters for the regular-season finale, which presumably led to Garoppolo starting.
"Typically, we've erred on the side of leaning a little bit more towards resting players," McVay said. "And I would imagine as we continue to finalize our plans, that's probably the direction we'll go.
The Rams are already guaranteed at least the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs after clinching the NFC West title, securing a home game for the wild-card round.
They sealed the division crown with a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, thanks to a strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the Seahawks.
This tiebreaker was made official by victories from the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Commanders on Sunday, with the Commanders' win being the clincher. The Rams' victory improved their record to 10-6, while the Seahawks, who defeated the Chicago Bears on Thursday, sit at 9-7.
The Rams can still claim the No. 3 seed with a win over the Seahawks in Week 18. If they remain in the No. 3 spot, they would host either the Washington Commanders or Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round.
However, if the Rams lose and the Buccaneers win against the Falcons, the Bucs would take the No. 3 seed, dropping the Rams to the No. 4 seed. In that scenario, Los Angeles would host the loser of the Minnesota Vikings-Detroit Lions game.
More News: 49ers Rule Out Brock Purdy for Final Regular Season Game
With their playoff berth secured, the Rams are heading to the postseason for the sixth time in eight seasons under HCMcVay, marking their first division title since their Super Bowl-winning season in 2021.
Garoppolo was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, where he spent four seasons as Tom Brady's backup, winning two Super Bowls. Traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 and won five of the final games that season.
His standout year came in 2019, leading the 49ers to the top conference seed and a Super Bowl LIV appearance. Despite injury setbacks in 2018, 2020, and 2022, Garoppolo also guided the team to an NFC Championship Game in 2021.
After a season-ending injury in 2022, he spent a year with the Las Vegas Raiders before joining the Rams. Set to be a free agent after this season, Garoppolo is likely to re-sign with Los Angeles, though several NFL teams could benefit from his experience.
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