The Omaha Nighthawks have had their eyes on a certain former Raiders quarterback. As it turns out, they’re getting another former Raiders quarterback instead.
Spurned by JaMarcus Russell, the Nighthawks reportedly will be acquiring the services of Jeff Garcia.
News of Garcia’s decision to join the UFL comes from David White of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I was hoping to get back into the NFL this year,” Garcia said. “We had teams that expressed interest, but nobody wanted to fully commit.” (Or, for that matter, partially commit.)
Garcia signed last year with the Raiders, but the veteran eventually requested his release. He later would explain that Russell resisted efforts to assist the first overall pick in the 2007 draft with his development. After Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb suffered a broken rib in Week 1, Garcia spent a few weeks in Philly.
Despite scattered rumors of a potential return to the Eagles, Garcia had no other serious sniffs during the balance of the 2009 season, or during the 2010 offseason.
It’s possible that a strong 2010 UFL performance by Garcia could prompt a team with needs at the position to give him a shot in December.
Reached for comment, Bengals receiver Terrell Owens said, “If it looks like a Nighthawk and quacks like a Nighthawk . . . .”
(OK, Owens didn’t really say that. Thanks to the inclusion of that disclaimer, only 17 percent of you will believe that Owens said that.)