There have been a lot of goodbyes over the last few days. The San Francisco 49ers said goodbye to several players. Jimmy Garoppolo, Mike McGlinchey, Emmanuel Moseley, and many others moved on to new NFL homes, signing deals with other teams in free agency.
Garoppolo is the newest quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders. On Friday, he spoke to Raiders reporters for the first time, first sharing a message to his team of the past five-and-a-half seasons (h/t Angelina Martin of NBC Sports Bay Area).
"I just want to thank the Yorks, thank the 49ers for everything that they've done," Garoppolo told reporters after wishing them a happy St. Patrick's Day. "My time there was awesome. Enjoyed it, a lot of ups and downs. It was a fun time, but turning the page now, moving on to the next chapter in my life, and can't wait to get started in Vegas."
The Jimmy G era in Vegas has officially started pic.twitter.com/8CNGIHbC7E
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) March 17, 2023
Garoppolo reportedly signed a three-year, $72.75 million deal to join the Raiders.
Tight end George Kittle shared a heartfelt goodbye to Garoppolo and many of his beloved now-former teammates via Instagram.
"Congrats to the fellas in free agency, going out and getting a contract is a big deal," Kittle wrote. "And while I am happy for them and their families, I am also sad to be losing some of my closest friends for the last 5 years. Incredible highs and lows for each of us individually, but also as a team. My respect for these guys is through the roof, and I know that they will all impact their new teams in positive ways. Cheers to the memories boys, I'll see you down the line."
Moseley, who joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2018, is joining the Detroit Lions.
"These last 5 seasons in San Francisco have been the best years of my life," Moseley wrote via Twitter. "I can't thank this entire organization enough for taking a chance on me as an undrafted free agent. We've been through a lot of ups and downs together but this place will always have a special place in my heart.
"To all my teammates over the years, thank you for pushing me to be the best version of myself on and off the field. I couldn't have done it without you guys.
"To all the niner fans across the country, thank you for showing me nothing but support since day 1. It was a pleasure playing for each and every one of you. Nothing but love!"
Thank you❗️❗️❗️ pic.twitter.com/R05fmnnyS6
— Emmanuel Moseley (@Mannymoseley) March 17, 2023
