Jimmy Garoppolo has signed a contract with the San Francisco 49ers that will make him the highest-paid player in NFL history on an average-per-year basis.
Quarterback Garoppolo’s five-year deal is worth $137.5 million, which means he will earn $27.5 million per year on average. Another QB, Matthew Stafford, previously held the record at $27 million per year.
The 49ers acquired Garoppolo in October from the New England Patriots for a 2018 second-round pick. The quarterback was in the final year of his rookie deal.
Garoppolo, who previously served as Tom Brady’s backup, led San Francisco to a 5-0 run when he started. This is the longest-active regular-season winning streak in the NFL. The former second-round pick has never lost an NFL start, and now seems to have cemented his status as a franchise quarterback.
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The 49ers also scored on 62 percent of Garoppolo’s drives this season. The Patriots were second in this category at 51 percent.
Since he entered the NFL in 2014, Garoppolo has completed 67.3 percent of his passes (4th-highest, min. 250 attempts) with an 8.3 yards per attempt average (1st) and a 99.7 passer rating (5th).
The 49ers scored 28.8 points per game under Garoppolo; they scored 17 points per contest in games he did not start in 2017. General manager John Lynch praised Garoppolo’s fit with the team at last month’s Senior Bowl:
“When you find the right guy at that position, it’s really good for your franchise,” said Lynch last month. We believe we’ve found the right guy.”
According to Around the NFL‘s Kevin Patra, other franchise quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins could over the next few years land deals that surpass the value of Garoppolo’s deal.
FOXBORO, MA – OCTOBER 29: Jimmy Garoppolo #11 of the New England Patriots hands the ball off during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on October 29, 2015 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
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