Garcia Joins UFL, But Why?

Former Eagles QB Jeff Garcia signed Wednesday night with Omaha Nighthawks, a new expansion (!) team in the UFL.

Sean Leahy at USA Today has more:

"I still have the drive, commitment, and ability to play this game at the highest level and one thing that I definitely share with the people of Omaha is a passion for the game," Garcia said in a statement. "I look forward to sharing these future experiences with the Nighthawks' great fans."

I thought the only thing people in Omaha had passion for was term life insurance, but I digress. Garcia rejoined the Eagles last year after two modestly successful years in Tampa. And all Eagles fans fondly remember Garcia taking over for Donovan McNabb in 2006 and leading the Eagles into the playoffs. Now he’ll be joining the likes of Daunte Culpepper and Denny Green over in Mark Cuban’s UFL, which is now kind of a halfway house for NFL players on their way into retirement.

I’m not sure Garcia was ever fully appreciated during his long NFL career. His disastrous stint in Cleveland and Detroit gave him a stigma of mediocrity that he was never really able to shake. It’s a shame, because Garcia was a wonderful player at times: dexterous and passionate to the core.

He likely didn’t join the UFL because he needed the money, or the adulation (like Brett Favre), or a way back into the NFL. He’s 40 years old, for crying out loud.

No, he’s playing because he legitimately enjoys going out each week and being chased around by 11 insane people. There’s a certain nobility in playing out your career that way, never giving up until the game doesn’t want you anymore. I think that’s why Philly liked Garcia so much when he was here, and why some hoped he would unseat McNabb in 2007. Garcia never managed to do that, but he sure gave it his best shot. He always has, and that’s always what made him a fan favorite.

Contact Us