How long has the idea of Jimmy Garoppolo moving on from the San Francisco 49ers been out there? At least 404 days, as artist Rita Carvalho took on a “draw Jimmy G every day until he gets traded” quest that long ago. Well, that quest finally came to an end Monday, with Garoppolo signing with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. And Carvalho (a devoted 49ers fan who lives in Porto, Portugal) had quite the final drawing for it, one seemingly referencing the famed Shawshank Redemption rain scene after Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) crawls through sewage to freedom:
The last day of the Jimmy G series! 🫶
What a crazy ride this has been! This whole project took me on an amazing adventure and I couldn’t be more grateful for all the opportunities it brought me! This is an emotional day for sure and I hope nothing but the best for Jimmy G!— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 13, 2023
ESPN even featured Oak in a Monday Night Football pre-game segment last fall:
Carvalho (who goes by “Rita Oak” on Twitter, with “Oak” being an English translation of Carvalho) also spoke to Matt Barrows of The Athletic last September about her process, and about why she kept on with this even after Garoppolo stayed with the 49ers last season:
After the NFC Championship Game in January, everyone was sure Garoppolo would leave the 49ers one way or another. The team had drafted his replacement, Trey Lance, and Garoppolo was set to earn a team-high $25 million for the upcoming year. Garoppolo seemed to confirm his departure during a misty-eyed news conference at the close of the 2021 season.
Two days later, Carvalho began her daily drawings. Most take one to two hours, although a more detailed one, like a “Stranger Things”-themed drawing she did, can take five hours. She often uses pop culture references — scenes from movies or television — but also likes to use current NFL events.
…Her followers went to sleep [after Garwondering if it was the end of the Rita Oak series. When they woke up, she had an emphatic answer in the form of a drawing of Garoppolo depicted as the protagonist in “The Wolf of Wall Street” declaring to frenzied admirers, “The show goes on!”
It was drawing No. 209, and it’s already one of her most popular works. And, of course, it has a double meaning.
“It was also me saying, ‘I’m also staying,’” Carvalho, 25, said. “So I think it was a perfect reference for the day.”
Here’s that drawing:
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 209: pic.twitter.com/G7F4erspJX
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) August 30, 2022
Here are some other highlights from Carvalho’s time drawing Garoppolo. How about him as Thor?
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 402: pic.twitter.com/LHcTyIR7kR
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 11, 2023
Or a Last of Us reference?
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 400: pic.twitter.com/h5QB0SuaFy
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 9, 2023
Or a Rambo one?
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 394: pic.twitter.com/ZJtqgkQg7b
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 3, 2023
Here’s a Calvin and Hobbes one:
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 168: pic.twitter.com/Dp7J6F8zJL
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) July 20, 2022
Carvalho initially intended that Calvin and Hobbes one to be what she posted when Garoppolo eventually did leave. But she told Barrows last September she already had a new idea for the final one then, with that being “from a movie.” It seems likely that’s the Shawshank Redemption one she settled on, and it’s perfect.
More information on Carvalho, her drawings, and how to purchase them can be found on her Linktree page. As for Garoppolo himself, he’s signed a three-year,$67.5 million deal with the Raiders, as per ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Comp update: Raiders are giving former 49ers’ QB Jimmy Garoppolo a three-year, $67.5 million deal, including $34 million guaranteed, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2023
It will be interesting to see how Garoppolo does with the Raiders, and if he winds up being an improvement on former Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr, who they released in February. Carr has since signed with the New Orleans Saints. But Garoppolo has made his long-anticipated exit from the 49ers, and that spells the end to a long run for Carvalho. And she got plenty of Twitter recognition for her persistence in keeping that up:
Incredible run by @ritaoak_art https://t.co/Zo6QR2q45N
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 13, 2023
Wow we did it. We made it. https://t.co/mJBfg8wdvE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2023
Salute to @ritaoak_art … https://t.co/iZARkRwENQ pic.twitter.com/06GZq3yFxv
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) March 13, 2023
Real talk – What @ritaoak_art did was nothing short of remarkable. Creativity, humor, humanity and commitment all on display for us to enjoy on this dumb platform. Rest easy, queen! https://t.co/fmBAT0jngA
— Rod Brooks (@rodbrooks_qh) March 13, 2023
That’s certainly an impressive project, and Carvalho wrapped it up in style.
[Rita Carvalho on Linktree, image from ESPN on YouTube]