Raiders’ Garoppolo clears protocol, will face Pack

HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has cleared the concussion protocol and will start against the Green Bay Packers on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” at Allegiant Stadium.

Garoppolo suffered the concussion during a Week 3 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 24, but never left the game. He missed last Sunday’s loss at the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Some of the doctors and those guys came and grabbed me after the game, the evaluation happened and everything and yeah, it’s just the NFL’s rule,” Garoppolo said Friday in his first interview session since before the Steelers game. “Protocol is what it is. Not much fighting it.

“I mean it was a tough game, just dealing with a lot of different stuff. We didn’t play our best, but yeah, it was just a weird situation. Had to get through it last week, but we made it through and we’re rolling now so we’re getting ready for Green Bay.”

Garoppolo, who signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract with the Raiders in March and underwent surgery on his left foot shortly thereafter, practiced in a limited fashion twice last week but did not travel with the Raiders (1-3) to Los Angeles. He was limited again Thursday in practice before being a full participant on Friday.

Rookie Aidan O’Connell started in place of Garoppolo against the Chargers and became the first player to be sacked seven times while committing three turnovers in his NFL debut since sacks became officially tracked in 1963, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Garoppolo, meanwhile, has passed for 709 yards while completing 68.1% of his passes for five touchdowns in three games and is tied for the league lead in interceptions with six.

His return had Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers excited.

“I definitely think it’s a step in the right direction and get a chance to continue to build on the offense, continue to just lay down our bricks and just building the wall up,” Meyers said. “We’re trying to get it going, so I think it’ll be great just having all the guys out there and building our unit.”

Garoppolo said the Packers (2-2) have a “fast” defense.

“They could fly around, got some speed at linebacker, good D-line, talented group,” he said. “They’ll make it tough on us. But yeah, just a good group overall, some good players at key positions.”

He was not sure, though, when he actually suffered the concussion against Pittsburgh.

“There was some hits that game so, I mean, it could have been a number of different ones,” said Garoppolo, who has missed at least 17 regular-season and playoff games due to injury since 2020.

“But it was really just after the game, the docs grabbed me, started going through it. Next thing I knew, I was in the protocol. It’s a weird situation. We got through it.”