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Garcia Added To Pro Bowl

Posted Jan 24, 2008 by Anwar S. Richardson

Updated Jan 24, 2008 at 06:23 PM

by ANWAR S. RICHARDSON

The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA – Quarterback Jeff Garcia has played for San Francisco, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay over the past five seasons.

He should have enough frequent flyer mileage for a first class upgrade to Honolulu.

Garcia was added to the NFL’s Pro Bowl roster as an NFC alternate, replacing Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre. The game is going to be played on February 10 game in Honolulu, and Garcia is the third quarterback named to the Pro Bowl, joining Trent Dilfer (1997) and Brad Johnson (2002).

“It’s definitely an honor to be recognized by coaches and players around the league even as an alternate,” Garcia said. “To be put in a position to be invited to the Pro Bowl, it’s just an exciting moment to represent The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“It was unfortunate we didn’t have anybody selected on the initial team. I kind of felt it was a slap in the face considering how well our defense played, but that’s how things go. To be on that [Pro Bowl] list, it’s an honor.”

This is the third time Garcia has been a Pro Bowl selection. Garcia was elected to play in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 games as San Francisco’s quarterback.

Favre was initially voted to start this season, with Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck as his reserves. Garcia will now move to third on that list, and have an opportunity for Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona), Donald Driver (Green Bay), Torry Holt (St. Louis) and former 49ers teammate Terrell Owens (Dallas) to catch his passes.

As Tampa Bay prepares to enter the free agent market, Garcia might show up with local tourism packets to recruit players.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make this team stronger, and if that means selling Tampa Bay to free agents who can help out our team, so be it,” Garcia said. “I will be as good of a recruiter as I can be, and it’s not to say what we already have is not good, because it is. We have a really good thing and I believe in all the players we have.

“If we can make this team stronger and add some more weapons, talent and more competition, it will make us even better. I am willing to promote everything we’re doing here.”

It might be an easy sell for Garcia, who thrived in Tampa Bay after signed with the Bucs last offseason.

Garcia helped lead Tampa Bay to win its third NFC South division title in six seasons. He became the first quarterback who made his debut in the Super Bowl era to start a playoff game for a division winner for three different franchises.

During the regular season, Garcia finished as the NFL’s seventh-rated passer (94.6) and ranked second in the league with a team-record 1.2 interception percentage. In 13 starts, Garcia completed 209 of 327 pass attempts (63.9 percentage) with 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Garcia’s set a team record with 197 consecutive pass attempts without an interception to begin the 2007.

“I do feel good about where I am and our situation in Tampa Bay,” Garcia said. “What we were able to achieve this year is a start of great things to come. I feel good about collection of coaches in the locker room, or work ethic, and the players.

“It’s nice to be able to know I will be returning to this team. I do have a home for at least another year. It was getting old, all the traveling and changing cities year to year. That stuff wears on you. For me to have that stability here, it feels awesome and allows my wife and I to have the impact in the community we want.”