Jeff Garcia Wants A Return To The NFL
September 2nd, 2010
Straight from the stage where he performed with his former Bucs teammates Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn on that rotten Pros vs. Joes, former Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia freely admits he’s still trying to get picked up by an NFL squad.
Now toiling for Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL, Garcia tells Elizabeth Merrill of BSPN that he hopes a stint in the UFL will propel him back into the NFL.
His wife, Carmella, is eight months pregnant and needs him; football, for much of his life, has given Garcia every indication that it doesn’t want him, at least as a long-term solution. Eight teams, three leagues and 40,000 passing yards, and everywhere Garcia goes, he isn’t expected to last.
If he makes it through November in Omaha, and has a chance to move on, the good people in the corn belt will no doubt applaud him. That will mean that Garcia has made it back to the place he believes he’s always belonged.
First, he’s got to get through summer. The buses roll into the Kroc Center, the workout digs for the newest team in the United Football League. Last weekend, the Nighthawks’ facility was used to hold a cat show. Today, it holds Garcia’s “locker,” which consists of a chair covered in workout clothes that sits in a 3×3 space in a gymnasium.
Does Joe believe Garcia will ever suit up for the Bucs again? Joe very much doubts it. But hey, if Josh Freeman is slow to heal, who would you rather have as your No. 3 quarterback, Rudy Carpenter or Garcia?
Just the chance that Carmella will grace the sidelines might be worth 500 tickets sold in this tough economy. Imagine the marketing possibilities?
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:15 am
I miss her on Fox 13……
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:17 am
Joe, Carmella aside, I hope you are joking.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:27 am
Garcia would never come here to be 3rd string. Better to be the star of his UFL team. He has nothing to prove.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:34 am
Carpenter- he is not a cancer and he may have a future…..
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:46 am
Maybe if hubby didn’t turn into such a happy-feet coward in the pocket those last couple years he’d still be playing….
Just sayin…
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:06 am
Garcia played his heart out for us, and he’d be a good backup for a little while…
..except doesn’t josh johnson need his own career backup ?? haha
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:44 am
This is basically a regurgitation of a previous Joe article.
My answer is the same – JJ or Carpenter, hell, Spurlock for that matter if he’s the emergency QB. Garcia is a cancer, ad libs on plays, and beats to his own drum. No thanks.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Wow, Mushmouth agreed with something I said yesterday and now I find myself in agreement with his. Jeff Garcia played his heart out for us, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he would scramble as soon as he finished his 3 step drop.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:42 pm
First things first, in reference to the comments, Carpenter BLOWS! If you say otherwise then you aren’t a Bucs fan. Why? Because you didn’t watch last weeks game againts the jagoffs. Carpenter stunk up the whole place… AWEFUL. Stop hoping for a non-NFL ready third stringer already.
About Garcia. How in the world does Jeff expect to play in the UFL and hope to then play in the NFL? Well, his only scenario is being game ready for the NFL play offs and is hoping some team loses a QB on the way.
Or maybe, the Jets. Maybe the Jets only drawback is Sanchez… and come the play off stretch, they may want to snag Garcia to give them a little veteran fire while Sanchez recovers from his sophmore slump.
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:16 pm
The best 53 right well Garcia is better than Carpenter.
Enough said
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Bad luck for Garcia that Gruden is currently out of coaching. Strange that Allen and the Skins have not picked him up, what with how much McNabb loves him and all . . .
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I am guessing Eric has Garcia on his fantasy football team, right Eric?
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:47 pm
JimBuc, I don’t think Garcia would be on the team(if Gruden was still here) or on on any Gruden team. Garcia was a rogue and went against Gruden’s play calling, quite a bit in the end. Had Griese not got hurt, Garcia may never have played.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:00 pm
I’m assuming he’s made his money. I don’t understand why he would want to come back… for another concussion?!? After all. Look at what he gets to come home to!
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:44 pm
oar, agree that he was a rogue but in his last interview (that I know of) Gruden mentioned bringing Garcia back