The following are excerpts from a conversation with Tampa Bay
Buccaneers quarterback, and Gilroy native, Jeff Garcia. The Bucs
are currently 1-1 and sit atop the NFC South division.
The following are excerpts from a conversation with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, and Gilroy native, Jeff Garcia. The Bucs are currently 1-1 and sit atop the NFC South division. To see the interview in its entirety, go to www.freelancenews.com.
After two games, coming back to the sidelines you’ve had opportunities to see the “Chucky” face a few times now. How would you describe the face that Jon Gruden makes?
He’s just an intense, intense coach. He puts a lot of energy and time into his job. He has so much passion for it and he wants nothing more than to create a good situation, good opportunities on the field. And I think he has it written all over his face when things either go well or don’t go well and that’s what it’s all about. It’s what we’ve come to love and look forward to on game days – how he reacts and the kind of emphasis he puts on the game.
I’ve read several reports that you’ve changed some of coach Jon Gruden’s play calls so far this season. Is this true?
I think that gets over-dramatized, and they’re making it out to be like we’re battling over plays on the sidelines. It’s communication, it’s one of those things where I have to be comfortable and confident when I’m running the plays on the field and when I come to the sideline … and coach has a play and there’s something I don’t feel good about, I’m going to let him know that, ‘Hey, that’s not my number one option. Do you have any other options we can utilize at this point?’
After game one, I read you had a mild concussion. Then I read you just “had your bell rung” – which was it and can you describe the difference?
I haven’t really suffered a concussion (in my career), where I had a lapse of memory. As far as what happened to me in Seattle, I felt like it was one of those situations where I had my bell rung. I didn’t have any memory loss, I wasn’t unaware of the situation. I knew exactly what had happened on the play … I just needed time to get my equilibrium and my balance back.
OK, kind of like a boxer who gets hit with a good shot?
Sure. I just needed a standing-eight count.
One of the biggest stories of the season so far has been the injury of Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett. Have you talked with teammates at all about his situation?
We haven’t necessarily talked about it, but coach brought it up in one meeting. And obviously, our prayers and our sympathy goes out to him and his family and the team. And it sounds like things are looking, or heading in a positive direction, and I hope that continues. I’ve actually been associated with a player who suffered a spinal, a neck injury and suffered paralysis, a player that played for my father at Gavilan Junior College. Butch Henry is his name. Back in the early 70’s, I want to say it was ’75. I still see him and keep in touch with the family. He’s a great person, a very motivated person, and he’s been a motivating factor to me – his approach to life. As sad as it is, that he had to go through something like that, he has found ways to overcome it and deal with it and I just respect him and admire him so much.
Donovan McNabb’s recent comments have been highly publicized, do you agree that black quarterbacks have it tougher?
I can’t really comment on what he has said. I think that’s his opinion. He’s entitled to his own opinion. He goes through experiences that I’m sure are different from what I experience. So, that’s what he feels, what he’s saying. I have an open-minded outlook as to how things take place in the NFL. I feel like everybody is treated relatively equally. I feel like black quarterbacks have been giving – have been especially given opportunities to compete to be starters and be leaders of their teams, for the last decade or so – an increase in black quarterbacks in this league every single year. They’re giving them opportunities. To me, it’s not a color thing. It’s who plays the best, who mentally grasps it the best, who is the best leader for their team, who is the guy that can go out there and handle business that allows their team to have the best the opportunity to win. And Donovan is one of those guys. Donovan is a great player and as much as the team has struggled these first two weeks they’re gonna find their way to be back on top and he’s gonna succeed and he’s gonna do the things that he needs to do in order to win football games.
Is a main part of the criticism and microscope he’s under come from playing in Philly his whole career?
I think playing in Philly is more highly scrutinized. And when things are going well, you’re going to be put on a pedestal. And when things aren’t, well, you’re gonna be shredded meat. And that’s just the atmosphere, the environment that that city creates.
Do you play fantasy football at all? And for those who do play, should they start Jeff Garcia this week?
Oh I’m not a big fan (of fantasy). I think it created a sense of people not necessarily being loyal to a team. But I’m going to do whatever it takes to help this team win football games. If that means I’m productive as a quarterback, that’s terrific. But I expect to win, I expect to do good things and I don’t care if somebody wants to start me or not. I like to be (the guy) people don’t expect anything out of.
FULL VERSION
I’ve read several reports that you’ve changed some of coach Jon Gruden’s play calls so far this season. Is this true?
I think that gets over-dramatized, and they’re making it out to be like were battling over plays on the sidelines. It’s communication, it’s one of those things where I have to be comfortable and confident when I’m running the plays on the field and when I come to the sideline, whether it be at a quarter change or timeout or series change, and coach has a play and there’s something I don’t feel good about, I’m going to know let him know that ‘hey, that’s not my number one option, do you have any other options we can utilize at this point?’ And that’s what it’s all about – being able to communicate with each other, gaining an understanding of where he’s coming from and what I like and what I’m all about. And we have plenty of plays in the playbook so it’s not a problem taking out a different play.
Well, Since Brad Johnson really, he hasn’t had a quarterback with your kind of experience. I would think that’s something you bring to the table that no other quarterback on the roster brings right now?
I think that’s partly it right there. The other quarterbacks are young, inexperienced in the game, not as comfortable at times … Me, I’ve been different places, in different systems and I know what I like, what I tend to gravitate to, whether it’s third down or in the red zone, there are plays that I like and I’m not saying that I’ve narrowed it down to two or three plays, there are a lot of options out there that I feel really good about. It’s just a matter of which works for me at that time.
After two games, coming back to the sidelines you’ve had opportunities to see the “Chucky” face a few times now. How would you describe the face that Jon Gruden makes?
He’s just an intense, intense coach. He puts a lot of energy and time into his job. He has so much passion for it and he wants nothing more than to create a good situation, good opportunities on the field. And I think he has it written all over his face when things either go well or don’t go well, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s what we’ve come to love and look forward to on game days – how he reacts and the kind of emphasis he puts on the game.
After game one, I read you had a mild concussion, then I read you just “had your bell rung” – which was it and can you describe the difference?
I haven’t really suffered a concussion (in my career) where I had a lapse of memory. As far as what happened to me in Seattle, I felt like it was one of those situations where I had my bell rung. I didn’t have any memory loss. I wasn’t unaware of the situation. I knew exactly what had happened on the play … I just needed time to get my equilibrium and my balance back.
OK, kind of like a boxer who gets hit with a good shot?
Sure, I just needed a standing-eight count.
Did your wife get mad at you for going back into that game?
No, she didn’t. She was worried about me, but she wasn’t mad. She knows I have a competitive spirit and that I’m going to do everything that I can to help the team win each game.
Talking about your competitive spirit, there was a play in week two against the Saints when you went diving hed first towards the goal line trying to get in there and got the first down, but not the touchdown. I know you were just trying to make a play, but I was wondering, do quarterbacks get made fun of by teammates for sliding feet first?
No, not at all. I think my teammates would prefer that I slide. But when I slide feet first I tend to injure myself. It’s not natural to me and it’s not my style. I’ve played a lot of years of football. I know how to approach the game. I’m not gonna necessarily change how I approach the game but if there are times when I can get rid of the ball a little better, when I’m trying to drag out a play, I can throw it out of bounds and avoid the hit or avoid the unnecessary contact. But there are times when running the football and you need to get that yard you just go for it. If I slid in that situation I might not have got the first down and that becomes a fourth and 1, or fourth and half a yard. We end up with a field goal instead of a touchdown. Who knows where that takes the momentum of the game. For me to be a quarterback, I’m going to be aggressive. I’m going to do things the way I know how to do them. I’m not going to be an idiot about it. I’m gonna try to make smart decisions while doing it, but I’ve always, I’ve always taken the head-first dive than the feet-first slide.
One of the biggest stories of the season so far has been the injury of Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett. Have you talked with teammates at all about his situation?
We haven’t necessarily talked about it, but coach brought it up in one meeting. And obviously, our prayers and our sympathy goes out to him and his family and the team. And it sounds like things are looking, or heading in a positive direction, and I hope that continues. I’ve actually been associated with a player who suffered a spinal, a neck injury and suffered paralysis, a player that played for my father at Gavilan. Butch Henry is his name. Back in the early 70’s, I want to say it was ’75. I still see him and keep in touch with the family. He’s a great person, a very motivated person, and he’s been a motivating factor to me – his approach to life. As sad as it is, that he had to go through something like that, he has found ways to overcome it and deal with it and I just respect him and admire him so much.
What was it like beating the pants off New Orleans after losing to them in the playoffs last year?
It was a great feeling. It’s sad, that playoff loss was a bad reminder of the fun we had during last season (in Philadelphia), especially when we lose a game like we lost it, having been in that game, so close. Such a close game, opportunities in that game to win, to find a way to win and actually be reminded of it because in the preparation leading up to the Saints the past week, I had to watch some of our playoff game. It was the first time. I hadn’t seen a TV version and it just reminded me of the unfortunate, missed opportunities during that game that could of given us a chance to win. So for me to go out there and somewhat redeem myself felt real good. It was definitely a bittersweet occasion. It’s not a playoff game but it was the right step, a positive step in the right direction for the team to take on a conference opponent like that and have the type of output that we had.
Do you think you’re in a better situation now, being the starter at Tampa Bay, then being a backup had you signed back with Philadelphia?
Of course, I’m in a better situation for myself. I think struggling with staying positive as a team at one point in Philadelphia, when I was backing up at 4-1 (record), I still found it hard to enjoy the games. Because as a backup you still feel limited in your contributions to the team, and I want to be able to contribute to a team. Yes, it helped that we were winning football games, but it still isn’t quite the same as it is when you do have the chance to get out there on the field and compete and contribute. For me to be in this position, as much as I talked about how I would have gone back to Philadelphia and been a part of that team, because of my experience and how it ended up and being so positive, the way that the fans and the city appreciated me as person and as a player and the friendships that I made within that organization and the team, I would have considered that option. But that option was never presented to me. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to move on and come to a place where there is an appreciation for my abilities not just on the football field, but also in the locker room as a leader of this team. Being chosen as a captain by my teammates is a great honor and that having been done after only being with these guys for an offseason and a training camp. So, they respect and appreciate me being here. Coach Gruden appreciates me being here and I just want to build off of that. What I was able to accomplish last year, I want to bring that same mentality, that same attitude, that same environment.
Donovan McNabb’s recent comments have been highly publicized, do you agree that black quarterbacks have it tougher?
I can’t really comment on what he has said. I think that’s his opinion. He’s entitled to his own opinion. He goes through experiences that I’m sure are different from what I experience. So, that’s what he feels, what he’s saying. I have an open-minded outlook as to how things take place in the NFL. I feel like everybody is treated relatively equally. I feel like black quarterbacks have been giving – have been especially given opportunities to compete to be starters and be leaders of their teams, for the last decade or so – an increase in black quarterbacks in this league every single year. They’re giving them opportunities. To me, it’s not a color thing. It’s who plays the best, who mentally grasps it the best, who is the best leader for their team, who is the guy that can go out there and handle business that allows their team to have the best the opportunity to win. And Donovan is one of those guys. Donovan is a great player and as much as the team has struggled these first two weeks they’re gonna find their way to be back on top and he’s gonna succeed and he’s gonna do the things that he needs to do in order to win football games.
Is a main part of the criticism and microscope he’s under come from playing in Philly his whole career?
I think playing in Philly is more highly scrutinized. And when things are going well, you’re going to be put on a pedestal. And when things aren’t, well, you’re gonna be shredded meat. And that’s just the atmosphere, the environment that that city creates. The fans, they want to see positive results for the hard-earned money they paid, their hard-earned money they put into tickets. They want to see a Super Bowl. And they have never been able to win a Super Bowl championship, a Super Bowl title, and when you have a quarterback and a coach that have been together for as many years as Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb have, the fact that they’ve been to the championship game … I think the fans are growing somewhat impatient. They want to see a positive end-result at the end of the season, they want to see a championship…
Yeah, it seems nothing will satisfy them except that.
Nothing will satisfy … and that’s just how it is.
How much easier is the game when playing with a veteran receiver, who is still really at the top of his game, like Joey Galloway?
He’s just a tremendous player first of all and not many players in the league have what he can do. Sometimes it’s not easy to hit a guy that is that fast. I struggle with that sometimes in practice and it frustrates me because I want to give him the opportunities because like he showed last Sunday, he can take a slant pass and turn it into a 60-yard touchdown.
Oh yeah, and that block by Clayton was incredible, just setting it up.
That helped create it, getting him into the end zone. It takes more than just one guy. But (Joey is) the type of guy that can take the ball and create a game-breaking play. It’s awesome to have him. He has tremendous experience, he’s been around the league and he has all the know-how. He has a great work ethic. He’s about the team, not about himself.
Do you play fantasy football at all? And for those who do play, should they start Jeff Garcia this week?
Oh, I’m not a big fan (of fantasy). I think it created a sense of people not necessarily being loyal to a team. But I’m going to do whatever it takes to help this team win football games. If that means I’m productive as a quarterback, that’s terrific. But I expect to win, I expect to do good things and I don’t care if somebody wants to start me or not. I like to be (the guy) people don’t expect anything out of.
Obviously a lot of people didn’t know what to expect from this team, but how far do you think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can go?
We have something we hope to build upon. It’s all about this weekend, it’s all about that next game. We have to go out and continue to perform. We have to really come together as a team. And I think if we do those things, we have enough talent on this team we can create something really positive. And that’s what it’s all about. If we make the playoffs, anything can happen.
