The Raiders had another quarterback decision to make with Jimmy Garoppolo ruled out for Week 7 due to a back injury, and this time, they went with the experienced option.
Brian Hoyer, a 38-year-old playing for his eighth team, will start Sunday against the Bears in a game that’ll also feature Chicago rolling with undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent with Justin Fields (thumb) sidelined, according to multiple reports.
Hoyer took over for Garoppolo in the Raiders’ loss to the Patriots last week, completing 6-of-10 passes for 102 yards — without a touchdown or interception — in their 21-17 win.
Garoppolo exited with a back injury after appearing to get hit on Las Vegas’ final drive of the second quarter, and he left the stadium in an ambulance for tests intended to “err on the side of caution,” according to ESPN.
“They’re just doing tests,” head coach Josh McDaniels told reporters, per the Worldwide Leader, “and just making sure they take care of all that stuff.”
When Garoppolo missed the Raiders’ Week 4 loss against the Chargers while recovering from a concussion, rookie fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell got the start and completed 24-of-39 passes for 238 yards and one interception.
This time, though, with the Raiders sitting at 3-3 amid mounting frustrations from star wideout Davante Adams, they turned to the quarterback McDaniels worked alongside in New England.
Hoyer’s last win as a starter occurred in 2016 while a member of Chicago, when he guided the Bears to a victory against the Lions at Soldier Field, according to The Athletic.
Since signing with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2009, Hoyer has started 40 games across his NFL career, including 13 in 2014 with the Browns and nine in 2015 with the Texans.
He reunited with McDaniels in April — inking a two-year deal with the Raiders — to back up Garoppolo after filling the same position last season with New England quarterback Mac Jones.
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