Jimmy Garoppolo In Concussion Protocol After Raiders Loss To Steelers

Quarterback Jimmy Garappolo is currently in concussion protocol, which puts his status as the starting quarterback for the Raiders in jeopardy on Sunday when they play their AFC West rivals Los Angeles Chargers.

Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said on Monday that he was unsure when the concussion occurred. 

During the Raiders 18-23 loss to the Steelers, Garoppolo was sacked four times. His head also bounced on the turf during a fourth-quarter play, where Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was penalized for roughing the quarterback.

The Raiders have veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O’Connell as substitutes. Hoyer has 15 years of experience as an NFL quarterback, while O’Connell, who was a fourth-round draft pick from Purdue, showed promise during the Raiders preseason, where he completed 69.4% of passes for 482 yards. 

Garappolo has dealt with many injuries during his NFL career. He suffered a season-ending knee injury during the 2018 season and missed almost half of the 2020 season with an ankle injury. He did appear in two NFC championship games and a Super Bowl.

With a league-high six interceptions, Garappolo has struggled during his first three games as the starting quarterback for 1-2 Raiders.