Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was evaluated for a concussion after Sunday night’s loss to the Steelers and has been placed in the concussion protocol, head coach Josh McDaniels told reporters in his Monday press conference.
That puts Garoppolo’s availability for the Week 4 matchup with the Chargers into question.
McDaniels said he was unsure when Garoppolo suffered his concussion.
“There was nothing ever mentioned or talked about relative to that,” McDaniels said. “I’m not even sure what [or] when, what hit, if it was just an accumulation — I have no idea. There was never a conversation about that, so I’m not sure exactly. And I haven’t seen him yet this morning. So I’m not exactly sure when it took place or if it was just a culmination of things.”
Garoppolo went to the locker room early at halftime after he was twisted up on a sack. But he was back on the field to start the third quarter and didn’t miss an offensive snap.
The Raiders also have veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O’Connell on their roster at quarterback.
“We’ll prepare for everybody,” McDaniels said of the upcoming practice week. “I mean, obviously that would change things relative to Aidan also if Jimmy was not able to progress through the protocol to the able to play. So we’ll be hard at work to manage that situation as best we can as it progresses through the week.”
Hoyer, 37, started a game for New England last year but had to come out due to injury. That’s when Bailey Zappe made his debut and played well.
A fourth-round pick out of Purdue, O’Connell played well in the preseason, completing 69 percent of his passes for 482 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.