Los Angeles Rams’ Jimmy Garoppolo In The Spotlight In Regular-Season Finale

The Rams play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, and according to Los Angeles coach Sean McVay, it doesn’t mean squat.

But to backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, its significance can’t be overstated.

What gives?

With the Rams bound for the playoffs, McVay is resting his key starters and that includes veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. Even with the chance L.A. could fall from the NFC’s No. 3 seed to No. 4 by losing.

But McVay shrugs over that prospect, minus a first-round bye at stake and him not willing to risk an injury to maintain L.A.’s current position.

If the Rams stay at No. 3, they would face the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in the wild card round. At No. 4, L.A. would played either the Minnesota Vikings or Detroit Lions.

“I’m always trying to make decisions that I think are best for our football team,’’ McVay said. “It might not be best for everybody else, but if you said risk-reward, I think it’s a great opportunity for Jimmy to be able to play.

“I think it’s also an awesome opportunity for Matthew to be able to get rested, rejuvenated and ready to roll for the playoffs.”

So McVay will flip the offensive keys to Garoppolo, who’s a free-agent after the season, and if he delivers a steady performance his stock would soar.

His next stop would likely be elsewhere as a starter, but then again, he could stay put if Stafford retires.

The manner in which Stafford, 36, negotiated his two-year contract in the offseason, with most of his compensation front-loaded, gives him options.

There’s no indication that the only quarterback to lead the L.A. Rams to a Super Bowl title will retire, but if he did, the Rams could turn to Garoppolo, 33, as the bridge to their quarterback of the future.

What’s clear is McVay has helped backups shine before and that has led to them securing jobs elsewhere.

McVay resurrected the career of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield when he replaced an injured Stafford in 2022 and produced during a difficult season.

Mayfield is currently on a three-year, $100 million contract with the Bucs, after he played on a one-year, $4 million deal in 2023.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Carson Wentz, a former second-overall pick, filled in for Stafford the following year when McVay again had his future Hall of Fame quarterback, Stafford, idle before the postseason.

Wentz, who has bounced around since the Philadelpha Eagles drafted him, will start on Sunday as the Chiefs’ let Patrick Mahomes cools his jets. He signed a one-year, $3.3 million pact with the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.

What’s noteworthy is McVay will have a hand in three quarterbacks that many felt were done trotting out with their first teams this weekend: Garoppolo, Mayfield and Wentz.

For Garoppolo, it will be his initial start with the Rams and his first since 2023. He’s near the end of his one-year $3.1 million contract, with his eyes on a bigger deal moving forward.