Jimmy Garoppolo out vs. Bears: Here’s what Raiders reportedly plan to do as veteran QB sits due to back injury

The Las Vegas Raiders will be without their starting quarterback this weekend. CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones confirmed reports that Jimmy Garoppolo has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears due to the back injury he sustained last week.

In his place, the Raiders will be starting veteran Brian Hoyer, per The Athletic.

Garoppolo was taken to the hospital after suffering the injury late in the second quarter against the New England Patriots, but head coach Josh McDaniels said earlier this week that the quarterback had “dodged a big bullet” with the injury. “The prognosis is a lot better than it otherwise might have been,” McDaniels added.

Still, Garoppolo will miss his second start of the season. He previously missed the team’s Week 4 loss against the division rival Los Angeles Chargers due to a concussion. Rookie Aidan O’Connell filled in for Garoppolo in that game, completing 24 of 39 passes for 238 yards and an interception. 

O’Connell has been inactive for the other five games this season, with Hoyer serving as Garoppolo’s backup. Hoyer stepped in for Garoppolo last week against New England and went 6 of 10 for 102 yards. The 38-year-old quarterback has played for eight teams across his 15-year NFL career. He’s appeared in 78 games (40 starts), completing 59.4% of his passes for 10,770 yards and 53 touchdowns compared to 35 interceptions.