Raiders bench Jimmy Garoppolo, rookie Aidan O’Connell to take over starting QB duties

After making sweeping changes to the front office and coaching staff, the Las Vegas Raiders are turning their attention to the roster. On Tuesday, the franchise dismissed coach Josh McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler amid a 3-5 start to the season. 

Two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be benched in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell, interim head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed on Wednesday.

Garoppolo was the Raiders’ biggest offseason acquisition and signed a three-year deal with the team. However, the oft-injured quarterback has not lived up to expectations when he has been on the football field.

“It will be Aidan, going forward,” Pierce said in the introductory news conference on Wednesday. “We just feel like it gives us the best chance.”

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O’Connell was drafted in the fourth round. He has appeared in two games, making one start so far this season. The 25-year-old finished his Week 4 start against the Los Angeles Chargers with 238 passing yards and one interception.

Garoppolo has missed two games this season with an injury. The team elected to start Brian Hoyer in Week 7 against the Chicago Bears. O’Connell did eventually enter the game after Hoyer got off to a slow start and threw two interceptions.

McDaniels and the Raiders brought in Garoppolo with the hopes that he would be the solution at the quarterback position for the next few years, but Garoppolo’s stint in Las Vegas got off to a rough start as he dealt with a foot injury early in th offseason.

Garoppolo also dealt with a variety of injury setbacks during his time with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Raiders will likely use the remainder of the regular season to evaluate O’Connell in order to determine whether he could be a solution at the quarterback position for the longer term. O’Connell’s second career NFL start is scheduled for this Sunday against the New York Giants.