The Patriots will be going to their NFL-record seventh straight conference championship game after their 35-14 drubbing of the Titans Saturday, but honestly, who cares about something everyone knew was going to happen?

What's important about this game is that Jimmy Garoppolo is getting paid for New England's victory. Yes, the man Tom Brady allegedly forced out of town will get a bonus for the Patriots' berth in the AFC Championship game.

According to CBS Sports, Garoppolo will be awarded a $51,000 bonus for New England's AFC Championship berth because he was on the Patriots' roster for eight games this season before being traded to a team out of conference.

Jimmy Garoppolo should be rooting for a Pats victory over the Titans. He'll get $51,000 in playoff money if Pats are in the AFC Championship because he was them for at least 8 games this season & plays with a NFC team. Same is true for Cassius Marsh. — Joel Corry (@corryjoel) January 13, 2018

Garoppolo, of course, was infamously traded to the 49ers prior to the deadline for a second-round pick. He went on to start the final five games for San Francisco and went a perfect 5-0.

As good as it must have felt to continue an undefeated career as a starting quarterback (Garoppolo went 2-0 as the Patriots' starter in 2016 when Brady was sitting out on a four-game suspension), this bonus will be a sweet surprise to start the 26-year-old's 2018.