Jeff Garcia and his wife, Carmella, will be having their first
child this spring
Jeff Garcia and his wife, Carmella, will be having their first child this spring
Ask Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia what’s more nerve-racking than a 300-pound lineman steam rolling down the field to flatten him, and he’ll give you a straightforward answer.
“Fatherhood,” Garcia said by phone Tuesday. “I can deal with an oncoming pass rusher. I’ve dealt with that for a lot of years, and it doesn’t always feel good when you take a hit.”
The best shot Garcia has received this year, however, is when he was hit with the news that his wife Carmella would be delivering a baby girl in May. The 37-year-old signal caller will be giving his parents Bob and Linda their second granddaughter. Jeff has two younger sisters, Melissa and Jene, with Jene recently giving birth to a baby girl named Kadence.
For a family that has been through so much tragedy, there is nothing more exciting than the news of adding another member.
Before Jeff was born, his parents had twins that were born premature, passing away after just four hours. When Jeff was 7-years old, his younger brother by a year, Jason, drowned during a family vacation. Jeff was 8 when his 5-year-old sister Kimberly died from an automobile accident.
Along with the doubters and detractors who have been a hallmark of his playing career, Jeff has used the losses in his family as a motivating factor in his life. According to his father, there isn’t a day Jeff touches a football that his siblings don’t cross his mind.
“Jeff says, ‘I always go out and play for them,” Bob said.
The fact that Jeff is now starting his own branch on the family tree is a joyous occasion for the Garcias, especially around the holidays. It’s also somewhat of a relief for grandma.
“Oh, we’re thrilled,” Linda said. “It’s taken him a long time to find the right match at 37, and he’s always wanted to be a father.
“He’s going to be a great father and she’s going to be a great mom.”
With the Bucs coming to town to play San Francisco on Sunday, Jeff will only have a day to see his family before the game. After the contest, it will be a quick flight home to spend Christmas with Carmella. He will, however, be bringing a sneak peek of the yet unnamed addition to the family. In tow with a helmet and shoulder pads will be a copy of Carmella’s ultrasound.
Named an alternate selection to the Pro Bowl this week, the Gilroy native admits this is the most exciting time in his life – performing at a high level for a playoff-bound, Super Bowl contender while married with a baby girl on the way.
“(Being a father) is something I’m really looking forward to,” Garcia said, “and I really think it’s going to be a great time in my life. A great time in our life as a family.”
While Garcia certainly knows how to make checks at the line in games, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to be audibilizing out of changing diapers.
“Oh yeah, he’ll be right in there,” Linda said. “He’s not one that would be afraid to hold her or anything like that. He loves children. He’ll be right in there changing the baby.”
And as for the way grandma plans on helping, the littlest Garcia will already have a few uniforms waiting in her locker.
“She’s already getting spoiled,” Linda said. “I’ve already mailed 10 outfits for Christmas.”
