Raiders bench Jimmy Garoppolo for rookie Aidan O'Connell in another shake-up, reveals report

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been benched in favor of rookie Aidan O'Connell for the team's Week 9 game against the New York Giants. The decision comes after Garoppolo's poor performance in the Raiders' loss to the Detroit Lions.

In a surprising turn of events, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Las Vegas Raiders have made the decision to bench their 10-year veteran quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, in favor of rookie Aidan O'Connell. This decision comes shortly after the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler.

Garoppolo's performance in the Raiders' recent loss to the Detroit Lions was less than stellar. He completed just 10 of his 21 passes for a season-low 126 yards and threw an interception. Additionally, he was sacked six times and only connected with star receiver Davante Adams once.

After the game, Garoppolo admitted that it was a bad day for him and that he needs to play better. He acknowledged that there are several areas where he can improve, and he understands that addressing those issues will help solve many of the team's problems.

Garoppolo joined the Raiders earlier this year, reuniting with his former offensive coordinator from the New England Patriots, Josh McDaniels. He signed a three-year contract worth $67.5 million, which was restructured before the start of the season.

Throughout this season, Garoppolo has thrown for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions in six games. He missed Week 4 due to a concussion and Week 7 due to a back injury.

Meanwhile, the Raiders drafted Aidan O'Connell in the fourth round from Purdue University. O'Connell has had the opportunity to showcase his skills in the two games that Garoppolo missed, and he started against the Los Angeles Chargers. In that game, O'Connell completed 24 of his 39 passes for 238 yards but also threw an interception. He also had a chance to relieve Brian Hoyer against the Chicago Bears, where he completed 10 of his 13 passes for 75 yards, including a touchdown and an interception.

It's worth noting that injuries have plagued Garoppolo throughout his career. During his time with the San Francisco 49ers, he suffered a torn ACL in 2018 and underwent shoulder surgery last spring. Last season, he was relegated to a backup role before taking over for an injured Trey Lance. However, Garoppolo himself suffered a foot injury, which led to the emergence of Brock Purdy.

The decision to bench Garoppolo and start O'Connell marks a significant shift in the Raiders' quarterback situation. It remains to be seen how O'Connell will perform as the starter going forward and how Garoppolo will handle being benched. The Raiders are hoping that this change will bring about positive results and help turn their season around.

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