This was already on Access Vikings, but we thought it deserved a headline after Sassbottom/Kirschty sent it to us. He found it via PFT, which linked to a story from the Gilroy Dispatch. Apparently Jeff Garcia, 40, will play for Omaha of the UFL this season. But before he made that commitment, he apparently had other interest from two NFL contenders:
Garcia said he made the decision to jump to the UFL as prospects for a return to the NFL dimmed in recent weeks.
"For a while there it wasn't really an option. I was thinking that an NFL opportunity was going to happen." Garcia said. "It was either sit around and twiddle my thumbs and wait for a call like I did last year, which was not a very successful thing. Or, go play some football and hopefully have a great experience and prove to myself and anybody else that wants to pay attention that I can still play the game at a high level."
Garcia played in one game for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009, and has been adamant about continuing his career. Rumors circulated that Garcia might return to the Eagles to back up first-year starter Kevin Kolb and his father, Bobby, a longtime football coach in Gilroy, confirmed that the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints had expressed interest.
But Garcia decided to take the snap in hand, rather than wait for an NFL option.
"Minnesota had called him and said 'if (Brett) Favre doesn't play are you ready to go?" Bobby Garcia said. "But, you know what? Favre is going to play. I said, '(the Nighthawks) really want you and are willing to make you one of the marquee players in the league.'"
Not sure what to make of all this, but Garcia was near the top of our Vikings' wish list ... at one point in time.
