Jimmy Garappolo appears to be a young guy who knows the difference between things he can control and those he can’t.
As some Sun Citians may recall, Jimmy stood on top of the pro football world 16 months ago when he was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 2nd round.
His grandparents, Anthony and Jane Garappolo of Sun City, shared their family’s celebration with the Sun Day on that occasion. Jimmy and his family celebrated again last February when the Patriots won their fourth Super Bowl championship with a last-second victory over the Seattle Seahawks. It was an exciting rookie year for Jimmy in pro ball.
This summer, he has been backing up incumbent quarterback Tom Brady, one of the game’s superstars. But when training camp for the 2015 season opened, turmoil erupted in Patriot land.
Brady was hit with a four-game suspension in connection with a deflated footballs controversy in the 2015 NFL playoffs. When camp opened in July, neither Brady nor Garappolo knew which one of them would be starting the first four regular-season games for the Patriots, beginning with the season opener tonight(September 10) against Pittsburgh.
How did the Rolling Meadows native and record-breaking Eastern Illinois University star react to all this uncertainty? With a calm focus off the field, and at least two impressive pre-season performances.
NFL exhibition games are made for newcomers. It’s a chance for them to develop their skills and prepare for the eventual day when they would rise into a starting role. But Garappolo’s situation was unique, and he faced the possibility of being thrust into a major role much sooner than he anticipated at the most challenging position in pro football.
While Brady’s status for the first four regular season games was in the hands of a federal judge, Garappolo went to work. In his first game, his statistics were modest. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 159 yards and no touchdowns. He was intercepted once and sacked seven times.
In game two, he got a lot better. He completed 28 of 33 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown, and wasn’t sacked once. Down 21-0 to the New Orleans Saints at halftime, he led a second half comeback for a 26-24 Patriot victory.
In game three, he completed 13 of 17 passes against Carolina and rushed 4 times for 18 yards. Again, he led a second half comeback to a one-point victory.
On September 3, just a few hours before the Patriots were to play the New York Giants in their final pre-season game, the judge rejected Brady’s four-game suspension and reinstated him for the first four regular-season games. Garappolo did not play that night; the Patriots gave another backup quarterback candidate a chance to play.
In the middle of all this uncertainty, Garappolo was interviewed about his thoughts. He put a positive spin on the situation.
“It’s just like any other week,” he was quoted as saying on a Patriots website report. “Going out there, going to practice, trying to get prepared for Carolina and just taking it day by day. It’s a little shorter than usual, so we’re kind of cramming some things in, but other than that, we’re just going about our business same as always.”
He said he was grateful for all the opportunities he’s been given in training camp and to possibly get ready for potential month-long stint as Brady’s replacement.
“It’s (training camp) definitely beneficial,” he said. “Every rep counts. You’ve got to go in there and take advantage of the opportunity that you get.”
He also said the dynamic between himself and Brady has improved from last season (his first in pro ball) to this.
“Knowing him for a year, we’ve obviously become closer and everything. But he’s gone about his business the same way as always – just getting prepared and attacking training camp like the rest of us. We’ve gotten to know each other better, so we’re more comfortable with one another.”
Now, he and his Patriot teammates can focus starting tonight on what’s really important – defending the team’s Super Bowl title.
