Jeff Garcia is going to Florida
– not to swim with the Dolphins of Miami but rather jump on
Coach Jon Gruden’s Buccaneer ship in Tampa Bay, which won the Super
Bowl two short seasons ago.
Jeff Garcia is going to Florida – not to swim with the Dolphins of Miami but rather jump on Coach Jon Gruden’s Buccaneer ship in Tampa Bay, which won the Super Bowl two short seasons ago.
Garcia’s signing was scheduled to be announced in a press conference this morning in Tampa Bay, where the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback will ink a three- or four-year deal between $15 million and $20 million, according to Jeff’s father, Bobby Garcia.
“He’s going to Florida,” said Bobby in a phone conversation late Sunday night. “This is a fresh start. He’s going in there with guns drawn, fully loaded. He’s going to give it his best shot. He said, ‘Dad, I’m totally committed now. This is a new step in my life.’ ”
Jeff was busy over the weekend, flying to Cleveland for a tryout, then to Atlanta and, finally, to Tampa Bay. He was offered the starting position in Cleveland, as well as an estimated $16 million deal over two years, but the Gilroy native couldn’t resist going to play for Gruden.
Gruden coached the Raiders from 1998 to 2001, taking the team to two divisional championships and as far as the 2001 AFC championship before signing on with Tampa Bay. Gruden led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory over the Raiders in his first season with the team, making him the youngest coach to coach a Super Bowl winner. A former college quarterback, Gruden’s offenses consistently finish among the league’s Top 10.
“(Jeff) met with (Cleveland head coach) Butch Davis. He called me and said he loved the facilities there and the philosophy, but it was the Gruden factor,” said Bobby Garcia, whose son was released by San Francisco only last week Tuesday. “He feels that’s the kind of coach he wants to play for.
“I thought it was going to drag out, but Cleveland wanted an answer by tomorrow,” he added. “He really liked Coach Davis, and I talked to Coach Davis two days ago. What a neat guy – he was so cordial.”
But Jeff Garcia passed up the guaranteed starting spot in Cleveland and instead will have to battle it out with Bucs’ incumbent starter Brad Johnson and Chris Simms, a third-round draft pick in the 2003 NFL Draft and son of Giants great Phil Simms.
“Now he’s going to be competing for the starting job, and he said, ‘That’s only going to make me better. Coach Gruden is only going to make better. I’m going to go in there and get the starting quarterback position. If not, then the other guy is better than me,’ ” Bobby Garcia said.
The Falcons, which already have former 49er coordinators Jim Mora as their head coach and Greg Knapp as the offensive coordinator, also had interest in Jeff, Bobby Garcia said. The team hoped he would come in as a back-up to Michael Vick.
“Jeff said, ‘I don’t want to be a backup. I have two or three years left, and I have a few good years in me. Then I’ll be a Hall-of-Fame quarterback,’ ” said Bobby Garcia, whose son was flown to Atlanta from Cleveland on a private jet on Saturday.
The 34-year-old quarterback spent his only five NFL seasons in San Francisco, where he said he never felt truly appreciated and secure with his status despite setting team records for total offense in a season and passing for 30-plus touchdowns in back-to-back seasons.
“I’m happy. He’s got to go down there and perform and produce. If he doesn’t, then he’s the not guy,” said Bobby Garcia, who spoke with Coach Gruden over the phone about Jeff Garcia coming to play for him. “He told me that he made one mistake in evaluating Jeff (when he first came out of the Canadian Football League) and he said, ‘I won’t make it again.’ ”
After five seasons in the CFL, highlighted by the 1998 Grey Cup Championship and an MVP Award with the Calgary Stampeders, Jeff Garcia did some tryouts for NFL teams before signing a free agent contract with the 49ers.
“Jeff’s always wanted to play for Gruden ever since he first tried out for him,” Bobby Garcia said. “He said, ‘Dad, he reminds me of you so much, and that’s why I want to play for him.’ ”
