Jimmy G. in concussion protocol
Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is in concussion protocol, putting his status in question for when Las Vegas visits the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Garoppolo was injured in Sunday night’s 23-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Coach Josh McDaniels said Monday that he didn’t know when the injury occurred, but Garoppolo took several hits in getting sacked four times and his head bounced off the turf on one play in the fourth quarter.
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was flagged for roughing the quarterback.
If Garoppolo can’t play, the Raiders will go with 15-year veteran Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O’Connell.
McDaniels said the discussions haven’t yet started on which QB to select, saying the decision will be what’s the “best thing for the team.”
“We’ll be hard at work having to manage that situation the best we can as it progresses,” McDaniels said.
Injuries have been a problem for Garoppolo. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in San Francisco’s third game of the 2018 season, and in 2020 he missed eight games with ankle injuries.
The Raiders signed Garoppolo in the offseason after parting ways with nine-year starter Derek Carr, who now plays for the New Orleans Saints. McDaniels and Garoppolo have a history back to when both were with the New England Patriots, McDaniels as offensive coordinator and Garoppolo as Tom Brady’s backup.
Garoppolo most recently played for the San Francisco 49ers, appearing in two NFC championship games and one Super Bowl.
But he has struggled to find his footing for the 1-2 Raiders, having tossed a league-high six interceptions, including three against the Steelers.
“He scrambled a few times yesterday and made some plays and kept some plays alive, and there are some other times where he’s got to make a good decision,” McDaniels said. “But that’s playing quarterback in the NFL, and he’s done it well before.”
Like Garoppolo, Hoyer and McDaniels share a Patriots background. Hoyer said before the season he only wanted to play in McDaniels’ system.
The Raiders drafted O’Connell in the fourth round out of Purdue, and he had a promising preseason. O’Connell completed 69.4% of his passes for 482 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
CHARGERS’ WILLIAMS TEARS ACL
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee.
The team said an MRI on Monday morning confirmed the ACL tear. There isn’t a timetable on surgery since the swelling in the knee needs to go down.
“Mike’s one of my favorites. He’s one of our most important players,” coach Brandon Staley said Monday. “He had a fantastic game yesterday and was on his way to a huge performance. I mean, it was a huge performance but probably would have ended up even bigger.”
Williams suffered the injury late in the third quarter of Sunday’s 28-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings. The seventh-year receiver had a catch for an 11-yard gain when the injury took place.
Williams had seven receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown during the game. He had 19 catches for 249 yards and a touchdown this season.
Williams missed four regular-season games last season because of an ankle injury and then was sidelined for a playoff game after a back injury in the regular-season finale at Denver.
Keenan Allen is the Chargers’ top receiver, but Joshua Palmer and first-round pick Quentin Johnston will be expected to pick up the slack in Williams’ absence. Staley also said fourth-round pick Derius Davis is likely to see more snaps.
Allen set a single-game franchise record with 18 receptions for 215 yards in Sunday’s game.
“Everyone is going to have to elevate their game. It’s not just the receiving group, it’s going to be the tight end group and running back room as well,” Staley said.
TUCKER LAWYER: MSU HAS NO CAUSE
Mel Tucker’s attorney said Monday that Michigan State does not have cause to fire its suspended football coach because Tucker did not “engage in unprofessional or unethical behavior” when he had phone sex with an activist and rape survivor who the university paid to speak to his team.
Brenda Tracy, the activist and survivor, said Tucker sexually harassed her during the phone call in April 2022. Several months later, Tracy filed a complaint with the school’s Title IX office.
Tucker has acknowledged having phone sex with her but said it was consensual.
Michigan State’s investigation was completed in July and the university informed Tucker last week it planned to fire him for misconduct.
Attorney Jennifer Belveal denied in a statement that Tucker’s actions were acts of moral turpitude — “by any stretch of the imagination” — at the university that operates in the shadow of Larry Nassar’s abuse of more than 100 athletes.
Belveal said the school previously knew Tucker acknowledged during the investigation in March that he had phone sex with Tracy.
“The notice, which is entirely premised on information you knew at least seven months ago, if not earlier, now affirms Tucker’s belief that the investigation was never interested in the truth,” she wrote.
Belveal also cited Tucker’s “serious medical condition” in stating that the embattled coach reserves his right to fully respond to the university’s planned firing when he’s medically cleared.
Tucker asked for a medical leave for “a serious health condition” while he was suspended and the school denied the request, saying it was “unnecessary,” according to his attorney.
“The fast track to termination following Tucker’s assertion of rights under the FMLA is retaliatory,” she wrote.
The school told Tucker he would be fired for cause and without compensation for misconduct with Tracy, who it considers a vendor because she was once paid to speak with the team, and gave him seven days to respond.
Michigan State spokeswoman Emily Guerrant said Monday the school will review Tucker’s response.