Jeff Garcia

Jeffrey Jason Garcia (born February 24, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL).

After attending high school and junior college in Gilroy, California, Garcia played college football at San Jose State University.

After graduating from Gilroy in 1988, Garcia attended Gavilan College, a local junior college.

He was the starting quarterback on the football team for the 1989 season, in which he passed 2,038 yards for 18 touchdowns and rushed 584 yards for four touchdowns.

After the season, Garcia earned junior college honorable mention All-America honors.

In 1990, Garcia transferred to San Jose State University and redshirted his first year there.

From 1991 to 1993, Garcia was starting quarterback on the San Jose State Spartans football team.

Under Garcia, San Jose State went 6–4–1 in 1991, 7–4 in 1992, and 2–9 in 1993.

In 1991, Garcia had a career-high 61.9% completion rate at San Jose State with 99-for-160 passing for 1,519 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.

He passed for 2,418 yards in 1992 on 209-for-371 passing with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and a career-high 2,608 yards in 1993 on 196-for-356 passing, 21 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions.

For his junior season in 1992, Garcia earned UPI All-America honors.

A four-time CFL All-Star and four-time NFL Pro Bowl selection, Garcia began his professional football career with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) as an undrafted free agent in 1994.

At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Garcia was considered too small for the National Football League and was not selected in the 1994 NFL Draft.

In 1994, Garcia started his professional career in Calgary with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.

He won a place on Calgary's roster as their third-string quarterback behind Doug Flutie and Steve Taylor when he threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns in his exhibition game appearance in 1994.

Soon after he was named backup quarterback to Doug Flutie.

Garcia took over as starter in 1995 when Flutie was sidelined midway through the season with an elbow injury.

In his second start filling in for Flutie, Garcia set a team record with 546 passing yards and six touchdown passes in the Labour Day game against Edmonton touching off an eventual quarterback controversy among some fans when Flutie later returned.

Flutie ended up starting over Garcia in the Grey Cup that year which the Stampeders lost.

After Flutie signed as a free-agent with the Toronto Argonauts in 1996, Garcia took over as the Stampeders' starting quarterback.

During Garcia's three years as starter, the Stampeders finished with records of 13–5, 10–8, and 12–6.

Garcia led the Stampeders to the Western Final in 1996 and to the Western Semi-Final in 1997.

In 1997, Garcia won the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy, an award given to the Most Outstanding Player in the CFL Western Division.

In 1998, he led the team to a Grey Cup victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and was named Grey Cup MVP.

In 1999, Garcia debuted in the National Football League (NFL) with the San Francisco 49ers.

With the 49ers, Garcia made three Pro Bowl appearances (for the 2000, 2001, and 2002 seasons) and led the team to the playoffs in the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

Garcia is one of only twelve quarterbacks in NFL history who have achieved two consecutive thirty-touchdown passing seasons (2000 and 2001) at least one time in his career.

The others are Philip Rivers, Steve Bartkowski, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Dan Fouts, Dan Marino, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Y. A. Tittle, Eli Manning, Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen.

He is also one of only thirteen quarterbacks to throw a 99-yard touchdown pass.

Afterwards, Garcia encountered a low point in his career, starting with a lackluster 2003 season with San Francisco then two losing seasons with the Cleveland Browns in 2004 and the Detroit Lions in 2005.

With the Philadelphia Eagles, Garcia returned to form late in the 2006 season, starting for an injured Donovan McNabb and leading Philadelphia to the playoffs.

Garcia joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007 and was the starting quarterback for most games of the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Again, Garcia led Tampa Bay to the playoffs in 2007 and made his fourth career Pro Bowl appearance.

As of 2007, Garcia had the most career offensive yards (7,274) in San Jose State history.

After his stint with Tampa, Garcia returned to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009 and played only one game.

In 2010, Garcia played for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.

In 2011, Garcia signed with the Houston Texans but did not play a game with the team.

The following year, Garcia joined the advisory board for the now defunct United States Football League.

Garcia attended Gilroy High School in Gilroy, California, and was a letterman in football and basketball.

As a senior at Gilroy High, Garcia was a South Santa Clara County selection for the Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game and played defensive back in the game.