Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo appealed to the fanbase with the most predictable take imaginable at the expense of the New England Patriots.
The Las Vegas Raiders regime of general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels moved on from Derek Carr, meaning they were in need of a new quarterback. They probably found the most predictable option in Jimmy Garoppolo, considering all three of their ties with the New England Patriots organization. Garoppolo and the Raiders agreed to terms on a three-year, $72.8 million contract.
What is an easy way for Garoppolo to ingratiate himself with the Raiders fanbase? Well, that’s obvious — say that the Tom Brady “tuck rule” was actually a fumble. That’s what Garoppolo said when viewing a photo of the infamous “tuck rule game” at the Raiders facility.
Jimmy Garoppolo ingratiates himself with Raiders fanbase with ‘tuck rule’ take
That’s probably the easiest thing Garoppolo could have done to be honest.
The Patriots and Raiders competed in the 2001 Divisional Round game in snowy Foxborough, Mass. With under two minutes remaining in the game, with the Raiders up 13-10, it appeared that Brady had fumbled on a pass attempt when hit by cornerback Charles Woodson. But after a review, the officials determined that Brady had made a forward motion with the football, thus ruling it an incomplete pass.
That allowed Adam Vinatieri to kick a game-tying field goal to force overtime. The Patriots then won the game, 16-13, on another Vinatieri field goal to advance to the AFC Championship Game. New England went onto beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-17, to advance to Super Bowl 36. The Patriots won their very first Lombardi Trophy after beating the St. Louis Rams, 20-17.
Of course, that game has been a sticking point for Raiders fans, believing that Brady had fumbled the football. While the Raiders made it to the Super Bowl the following year, they haven’t had recent playoff success. They made the playoffs just twice since after the 2002 season, and did not pick up a single playoff win.
The Raiders were expected to make a push to the playoffs last year, but fell short of expectations. Las Vegas’ new regime decided to move on from Carr and bring in Garoppolo, who has had success with the San Francisco 49ers in recent years.
Saying that Brady fumbled in the “Tuck Rule Game” is a good start for Garoppolo to get on the Raiders fanbase’s good side.