Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo apparently is not ready to end his NFL career.
After considering retirement earlier in the offseason, Garoppolo would return to play in the right situation and has not decided to retire, NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo reported on “The Insiders” on July 22.
“He just needed some time to himself this offseason, and now it’s like, OK, a little bit refreshed, renewed,” Garafolo said. “I don’t think anything is imminent.”
Garafolo added that Garoppolo might wait until a quarterback injury creates an opening for an experienced veteran to join a team’s competition or potentially become its starter.
“Jimmy Garoppolo is not retiring, from my understanding,” Garafolo said. “He will continue to play.”
The report represents a notable change from April, when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Garoppolo was considering retirement after 12 NFL seasons. The Los Angeles Rams acknowledged at the time that they were giving him space to make a decision while remaining interested in bringing him back.
Jimmy Garoppolo Can Afford to Wait for a Better Opening
Garoppolo’s apparent willingness to wait could be more strategic than concerning.
Most teams entered training camp with their starting quarterbacks and primary backups already in place. Signing immediately could require Garoppolo to accept a buried depth-chart position without a realistic path to the field.
That landscape can change quickly once practices and preseason games begin. An injury, an unconvincing competition or a young quarterback’s struggles could make an experienced alternative considerably more valuable.
Garoppolo, 34, offers more meaningful starting experience than most quarterbacks who remain unsigned. He has appeared in 85 regular-season games, making 64 starts, and owns a 43-21 record as a starter. He has thrown for 15,828 yards, 96 touchdowns and 52 interceptions.
Most of that résumé was built in San Francisco. Garoppolo started 55 games for the 49ers and helped the franchise reach Super Bowl LIV and two additional NFC Championship Games. He is also 4-2 as a postseason starter.
That history makes him a credible emergency option for a contender. It does not necessarily mean a reunion with Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers is developing, however.
A 49ers Reunion Does Not Fit the Current Quarterback Room
San Francisco already has considerable security behind Brock Purdy.
Mac Jones remains the No. 2 quarterback after going 5-3 as a starter while Purdy was injured during the 2025 season. Jones completed 69.6% of his passes and recorded 13 touchdowns against six interceptions, strengthening his standing as one of the league’s more accomplished backups. The 49ers subsequently revised his 2026 contract to include a $300,000 roster bonus, a $3.55 million salary and additional performance incentives.
The team’s current depth chart lists Purdy first, followed by Jones and developmental quarterbacks behind them. Adding Garoppolo would therefore give San Francisco three veteran quarterbacks when the roster has more pressing needs elsewhere.
Garoppolo could still interest another contender that lacks the 49ers’ backup stability. He also could provide competition or insurance for a team starting a highly drafted rookie.
A return to Los Angeles has not been ruled out publicly. Rams head coach Sean McVay previously expressed interest in retaining Garoppolo, although Los Angeles complicated that possibility by selecting quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Garoppolo’s next team consequently might not become apparent until another club’s circumstances change. The important development for now is that the most accomplished remaining free-agent quarterback reportedly intends to remain available rather than retire.
Former 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo Makes Decision on NFL Future