Jimmy Garoppolo Eyes Super Bowl with Raiders: 'I Know That's Not an Easy Process'

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The Las Vegas Raiders and new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo want one thing in their new partnership together—to win a Super Bowl.

"Hell yeah. I'm trying to win a Super Bowl," he told reporters on Friday at his introductory press conference. "I know every player says that when they come up to their first press conference. But that's my goal. I want to win a ring, get the Silver and Black back to where it should be. And I know that's not an easy process—I've been through it [with] San Francisco [at the] lower end of the field when I first got there. It's a process, but it'll be worth it."

The beginning of the relationship between Garoppolo and the Raiders got off to an interesting start, as the introductory press conference initially scheduled for Thursday was postponed until Friday.

That led to the natural speculation that perhaps the two sides, which hadn't officially signed off on a deal at that point, might have hit a snag in negotiations. But Jimmy G. said on Friday it was minor details.

"It was honestly talking, [contract] language, things like that," he told reporters, saying there was "no worry" the deal wouldn't be completed. "Both sides, I think, knew what we wanted to get done. It was very collaborative, actually, just us coming together."

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While the 31-year-old Garoppolo isn't an upgrade over the departed Derek Carr on paper, his game-managing style should be a better fit for Josh McDaniels' offensive scheme. That, in turn, should make it easier for Jimmy G. to assume a leadership role, though he was quick to point out that he has to earn that status.

"Like I said before, I'm trying to earn it. Just because I'm the quarterback, I'm not the leader because of that," he told reporters. "I want to be the leader because guys respect me and believe in me, and I think that starts with hard work."

It's been an offseason of change for the Raiders, who released Carr—now on the New Orleans Saints—traded star tight end Darren Waller to the New York Giants and signed wideout Jakobi Meyers, among other moves. But none bigger than handing the reins over to Garoppolo, who is now tasked with leading the team in its pursuit of a title.