28 May, 2023
Due to the foot injury he sustained in Week 13 of the 2022 NFL season, the former 49ers quarterback reportedly has an uncertain future in the Silver and Black. This could prevent him from receiving any sort of Raiders salary.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk said late on Saturday night that he had gotten a copy of Garoppolo’s contract with Las Vegas, which the quarterback signed in March just after his Raiders press conference was postponed.
And the contract seems to be the source of that delay. Sources told The Athletic’s Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur on Thursday that Garoppolo had foot surgery soon after joining the Raiders. And according to Florio, the contract has a supplementary provision that concerns Garoppolo’s foot issue, designated Addendum G.
Florio described modifications made to Garoppolo’s contract that would enable the Raiders to back out of the agreement in his report.
Addendum G is a waiver and release that acknowledges that without it, Garoppolo “would not enter into an NFL Player Contract with Player” due to “a preexisting medal and middle cuneiform and a fracture of the base of the second metatarsal in the Player’s left foot.”
In addition, Garoppolo expressly acknowledges and waives the risk of further harm or even “permanent disability” if he continues to play. He also assumes all risks associated with continuing his career while injured and releases the Raiders, the NFL, and anyone else from any liability.
In the agreement, Garoppolo also acknowledges that any disagreements relating to injuries and waiver terms “shall be resolved in the discretion of Club’s physician,” albeit Addendum G protects the quarterback’s right to consult a second medical professional.
Additionally, according to Florio, Garoppolo’s contract gives the Raiders “the right to terminate the Agreement with no further obligation, ‘for any reason related to the Waiver and Release attached as Addendum G.'”
“The waiver becomes null and void if at any time during the 2023 season Garoppolo passes a physical examination, is active for at least one regular-season game, and does not suffer a re-injury to his left foot in the manner described in Addendum G,” according to the waiver.
Garoppolo’s $11.25 million signing bonus was eliminated by the Raiders as a result of his foot injury, according to Florio, and the whole $22.5 million (his initial base pay for 2023 was $11.25 million) will now be his base salary.
However, according to a rumored Addendum G, Garoppolo won’t get paid by the Raiders until he clears a medical exam. In the interim, the Raiders are free to release Garoppolo “for any reason related” to Addendum G under the waiver clause.