While the NBA world was losing its mind as transactions flurried before the trade deadline, the NFL decided to inject something very noteworthy into the sports news cycle. The San Francisco 49ers agreed to an absolutely massive contract—the biggest one in NFL history—with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
We had heard this may be coming.
Garoppolo came to San Francisco in a midseason deal with the New England Patriots, and he put on a show after his arrival in the Bay Area. He led a reeling team to a dramatic turnaround, finishing the year with a 5-0 record as the starting signal-caller.
He also racked up 1,560 passing yards and seven touchdowns. His QB rating was 96.2.
Garoppolo had an undeniably impressive first year with the red and gold, but was it good enough to warrant such a gargantuan deal? That's what many debated in the wake of the contract's announcement.
One thing is for sure: this sets the market price for a franchise quarterback very high.