Jeff Garcia: The Incredible Underdog the NFL Forgot! (Part 7)

If you were a betting man, the safe bet in 2005 would be that Jeff Garcia’s time as an NFL starter would be over, with two NFL franchises putting their faith in him and being disappointed both times. Then he signed with the Eagles, which was the ultimate mark of death that his time as a starter was over. The Eagles already had their franchise QB in Donovan McNabb. He had led the Eagles to multiple conference championship games and even a Super Bowl appearance.

Jeff Garcia Has the Heart Of a Fighter

It is what got him from being a JUCO QB to a San Jose State record breaker, then from a CFL backup to an NFL Pro Bowler. So while many looked at the Eagles as the end, he looked at it as another chance to prove what he’s still worth. Soon, he would be given a chance to show exactly that. During his time with the Eagles, after McNabb had his season cut short when he got a knee injury, Andy Reid chose him as a starter over the popular AJ Feeley, who went 4-1 in 2002 as a backup replacing McNabb.

After a Blowout, Garcia and the Eagles Were Counted Out

That only added fuel to Garcia’s massive fire. They would all be proven wrong. Garcia led the Eagles on a five-game winning streak, throwing 10 touchdowns to 2 interceptions with a 95.8 QB rating. His revival wasn’t going unnoticed either, as Sports Illustrated added to his list of honors by putting him on the cover for January. He kept his awesome form going for the rest of the season. He led the Eagles back to the playoffs, where they would play against division rival New York Giants and the king of clutch, Eli Manning.

That pressure only motivated Garcia further. After a 153-yard and 1 touchdown performance, he led the Eagles to a 23-20 victory over the Giants for his second career playoff win. He had a better performance in the divisional round against the Saints, throwing for 240 yards and another touchdown. Philadelphia ultimately lost 27-24.

This would end his time with the Eagles, not of Garcia’s will. He wanted to fly high again with the Eagles, but because they didn’t want a controversy with McNabb, they cut him. But this time, he’d quickly find himself back on his feet.

Thanks a bunch for reading. Stay tuned for the next part of the Jeff Garcia story!