Score one for the 40-Somethings. On Wednesday, the Houston Texans signed 41-yard-old Jeff Garcia as a backup quarterback to rookie T.J. Yates, following them waiving quarterback Kellen Clemens. They also signed 43-year-old punter Matt Turk to replace Brett Hartman, who was placed on injured reserve after tearing a knee ligament in Sunday’s game.
The move puts some serious experience by Yates, who still retains the starting role. At the moment Jake Delhomme is the backup, but Garcia is an experienced veteran with a chance to move into the number two slot pretty quickly. He played with Texans quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp during his years in San Francisco, and he made four Pro Bowls during his career.
Delhomme is 36 years old and started 4 games for the Cleveland Browns last season following seven years with the Carolina Panthers. Over his career, Delhomme has passed for over 20,000 yards, thrown 125 TDs and 101 INTs and has a career passer efficiency of 81.2. He made one Pro Bowl, in 2005.
Garcia is 41 years old, and was with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL last season, after spending 2009 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played with the San Francisco 49ers from 1999 to 2003, and bounced around after that, playing for the Browns, Lions, Eagles, Buccaneers and Raiders. Of the five seasons where he started 12 games or more, he made the Pro Bowl 4 times. He has thrown for over 25,000 yards in his career, with 161 TDs and 83 INTs and has a very respectable career passer efficiency of 87.5.
Turk punted for the Texans from 2007 to 2010, and was with Jacksonville earlier this year, before being cut in October.
