Raiders' Garoppolo energized by Niners reunion with 'my brothers' - ESPN

HENDERSON, Nev. — There were a lot of familiar faces flying around Jimmy Garoppolo during Thursday's joint practice between his new team, the Las Vegas Raiders, and his old team, the San Francisco 49ers, so the irony was not lost on the quarterback.

Not with the Niners defense woofing at him.

«First play, Dre [Greenlaw] was talking, got things going right away,» Garoppolo said with a laugh, referencing the 49ers linebacker. «Those are my brothers. I love those guys. We had a good time out there competing.»

Indeed, it was a reunion for Garoppolo, who joined the 49ers in a trade with the New England Patriots on Halloween 2017, and he was asked about his final star-crossed month-plus in Santa Clara.

After being on the trading block during the 2022 offseason, he became the starter after an injury to Trey Lance in Week 2 and led the Niners to a 7-3 record before suffering a left foot injury at the Miami Dolphins in Week 13. He would never suit up for the 49ers again, though there was speculation he would have been ready for the Super Bowl had the Niners beaten the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game. Instead, San Francisco lost Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson to injury in the eventual 31-7 defeat.

«It was wild, man,» Garoppolo said of his last weeks in San Francisco. «I was doing my thing, trying to get my foot ready. It didn't work out how I wished it would have, but those guys going through three quarterbacks and still making it to the NFC Championship Game, I mean, that's damn impressive for a team. The Niners, you know, they've got a great team and everything. We had had a great time.

»It's on to Vegas now, but yeah, I treasure those times. Those were good times."

Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75 million free