An NFL quarterback is the newest member of the “9G Club” following his flight with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
Las Vegas Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo reached a speed of Mach 2, around 1,500 miles per hour, and barreled through air combat maneuvers while fighting to sustain consciousness under 2,000 pounds of pressure during the flight.
“Preparation is everything and the Thunderbirds [training] is very similar to being in the League,” he said in a statement.
Garoppolo, whose grandfather is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, recently visited Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas to join the Thunderbirds - an elite group of 135 of the most experienced members of the Air Force.
A video posted to Facebook and released by Team Whistle’s “I Could Do That” series provides breathtaking visuals as the Raiders signal-caller takes on extreme G’s while soaring above the Las Vegas skyline.
“There’s an endless amount of possibilities in football, but when you’re prepared, you don’t get that nervous feeling, you’re excited to put on display what you’ve been studying and what you’ve been working on,” Garoppolo continued.
For Garoppolo, spending time in the air and on the base not only pushed the physical limits of his body, it also reinforced the qualities fighter pilots and football players share, including mental preparation, trust in your teammates and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
The experience was hosted this summer by USAA, Official NFL Salute to Service partner, as part of the “Salute to Service,” initiative, which fosters a greater understanding between current and former NFL players and the nation’s military.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.