Watch Jimmy Garoppolo Score TDs for Rolling Meadows Before He Was Patriots' QB (VIDEO)

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — After two seasons, is Garoppolo-mania finally ready to run wild across America?

With Ugg-wearing pretty boy quarterback Tom Brady out of the way thanks to a four-game suspension over Deflategate, Arlington Heights native Jimmy Garoppolo has an opportunity to shine as the starting signal caller for the New England Patriots. That is, until Brady returns.

Garoppolo's time in the spotlight—as brief as it might end up being—has had Pats fans, NFL followers and fantasy football enthusiasts clamoring to know more about Chowder Country's newest star. That includes digging up his football roots in the Midwest.

Last year, the Patriots traveled to Arlington Heights to create a video introducing the world to their then-backup quarterback and his parents. In that video, Garoppolo's dad, Tony, admits the family did have to sacrifice its Bears fandom after Jimmy was drafted by New England in 2014.

“We put our Bears stuff away,” he said. “When we came home from the draft our neighbors had decorated our entire home inside and out with Patriots stuff.”

RELATED: Patriots Backup QB Shows Off Hometown in 'Meet the Garoppolos' Video

That must make this week bittersweet for the Garoppolos as Jimmy and the Patriots (which sounds like the name of a 1960s rockabilly band) participate in a joint practice with the Chicago Bears through Wednesday in Foxborough, MA. The Bears and Pats then will play in a preseason game Thursday.

But Jimmy Garoppolo's football roots don't begin and end with the Bears. They also include playing quarterback at Rolling Meadows High School. During his time under center there, Garoppolo passed for 3,136 yards and threw for 25 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. You can check out a highlight reel of his senior year on YouTube. (Editor's note: You might want to mute the sound while watching the following video, especially if you're in a workplace setting.)

Of course, if you really want to scout the Eastern Illinois University grad's very early football career, you can watch a video claiming to be a collection of clips of Garoppolo's time playing for the Arlington Cowboys youth football team.¹ Not only can he play quarterback, but he shows some skills as a receiver and a running back. (Editor's note: The warning concerning the previous video applies to this one, too.)

So will Garoppolo-mania sweep the country faster than a Crying Michael Jordan meme once the NFL regular season starts in less than a month? In the four games he's slated to start, will Garoppolo become the Patriots' new golden boy, creating a whole generation of fans who will only know Brady as Mr. Gisele Bundchen?

RELATED: New England Patriots Draft Jimmy Garoppolo

Probably not, even if Garoppolo takes the team to a 4-0 record and passes for 20 TDs in those games. Brady, unfortunately, has all those pesky career records and Super Bowl rings to contend with. Plus, if there's one thing Brady has proven, it's that if you want to be the GOAT, you have to be willing to pose for a touchy-feely photo with a (baby) goat.²

This might not be the beginning of the Garoppolo Era, but it's still nice to see one of Arlington Heights' favorite sons³ getting some positive attention on a national stage. At least for four games.

PHOTO: Arlington Heights native and New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (center) on NFL Draft Day in 2014. (NFL)

Footnotes

¹The reason for the skepticism in the video's authenticity comes from the fact that it, along with the video of Garoppolo's high school highlights, was posted by YouTube user "Jimmy Garoppolo" a month before the 2014 NFL draft. We doubt the YouTube account belongs to the Patriots QB, especially since the only videos shown are those old highlight reels, which were posted a month before the 2014 NFL draft.

²Brady took the infamous photo with the baby goat for a 2005 issue of GQ magazine.

³That group also includes the late Bears running back Walter Payton and martial arts action movie star/"pefect weapon" Jeff Speakman.

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