David Garrard facts for kids
Garrard with the Jacksonville Jaguars
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | February 14, 1978 East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Southern Durham (Durham, North Carolina) |
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| College: | East Carolina (1997–2001) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2002 / Round: 4 / Pick: 108 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
David Douglas Garrard (born February 14, 1978) is a former American football quarterback. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. David played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. The Jacksonville Jaguars picked him in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL draft.
Garrard played nine seasons with the Jaguars. He led them to their first playoff win since 1999 in 2007. He was also chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2009. Later, he played for the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.
Contents
Early Life and Giving Back
David Garrard was born in East Orange, New Jersey. He grew up in Durham, North Carolina. When he was 14, his mother passed away from breast cancer. This sad event inspired him.
Later, when he became a professional football player, David started The David Garrard Foundation. This foundation helps raise awareness and supports research for breast cancer.
David went to Southern High School in Durham. There, he was named an All-America player by Prep Stars. He was also rated the best high school quarterback in North Carolina. Coaches said he had one of the strongest arms they had ever seen.
College Football Journey
Garrard attended East Carolina University. He played for the East Carolina Pirates football team. Even though he was bigger than most quarterbacks, weighing over 240 pounds, he was very quick and agile. His coach, Steve Logan, joked that tackling Garrard was like "getting hit by a beer truck." David was also very tough. He started every game for the Pirates in the 1999, 2000, and 2001 seasons.
Sophomore Season Success
In his second year, Garrard led the Pirates to a great 9–3 record. They won against tough teams like the West Virginia Mountaineers and Miami Hurricanes. One amazing game was against the 13th-ranked Miami Hurricanes. East Carolina was losing 20–3 but came back to win 27–23. Garrard threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Keith Stokes to win the game in the final minutes.
This game was special because Hurricane Floyd had hit the state. The team couldn't play at their home stadium. So, the game was moved to Raleigh. This victory helped ECU get ranked in the top 25 college football teams. They stayed in the top 25 for eleven weeks.
Junior and Senior Seasons
ECU finished with an 8–4 record in Garrard's junior season. He had an incredible game in the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl. He threw one amazing touchdown and rushed for another in a 40–27 win against Texas Tech.
Garrard's senior season in 2001 started with high hopes. Even though East Carolina scored more than 35 points per game, they finished with a 6–6 record.
His final college game was against Marshall University. Their quarterback was Byron Leftwich. David and Byron would later become teammates with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In a very high-scoring game, Marshall came back from 30 points down to beat East Carolina 64–61 in double-overtime.
David Garrard broke 28 school passing and offensive records at East Carolina. He was one of the few quarterbacks to gain over 9,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in college. He graduated from East Carolina University in 2001 with a degree in Construction Management.
College Statistics
| Season | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| East Carolina Pirates | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | Redshirt  |
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| 1998 | 11 | 6 | 3−3 | 157 | 255 | 61.6 | 2,091 | 8.2 | 14 | 7 | 143.1 | 127 | 164 | 1.3 | 2 | |
| 1999 | 12 | 12 | 9−3 | 181 | 312 | 58.0 | 2,359 | 7.6 | 14 | 12 | 128.6 | 138 | 493 | 3.6 | 8 | |
| 2000 | 12 | 12 | 8−4 | 164 | 312 | 52.6 | 2,332 | 7.5 | 19 | 11 | 128.4 | 135 | 358 | 2.7 | 5 | |
| 2001 | 12 | 12 | 6−6 | 164 | 290 | 56.6 | 2,247 | 7.7 | 13 | 9 | 130.2 | 116 | 194 | 1.7 | 6 | |
| Career | 47 | 42 | 26−16 | 666 | 1,169 | 57.0 | 9,029 | 7.7 | 60 | 39 | 132.1 | 516 | 1,209 | 2.3 | 21 | |
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Wonderlic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1+7⁄8 in (1.88 m) |
235 lb (107 kg) |
31 in (0.79 m) |
10+1⁄2 in (0.27 m) |
4.82 s | 1.69 s | 2.76 s | 3.87 s | 6.75 s | 33.5 in (0.85 m) |
9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
14 | |
| All values were taken from the NFL Scouting Combine and published in the NFL's scouting report. | ||||||||||||
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars picked David Garrard in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL draft. He was the 108th player chosen overall. The team's coach, Tom Coughlin, saw him as a future starting quarterback. However, Coughlin left the team, and the Jaguars drafted another quarterback, Byron Leftwich, in 2003. Garrard continued as the team's backup.
In January 2004, Garrard was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, a condition that affects the digestive system. He had surgery in June but was healthy enough to play for the 2004 season. He started one game that year when Leftwich was injured. He threw two touchdowns and helped win the game in overtime.
In 2005, Leftwich got injured again. Garrard stepped in and led the Jaguars to a strong finish, winning 5 of their last 6 games. This helped the team make it to the playoffs.
In 2006, Garrard became the starting quarterback in Week 8. He led Jacksonville to a 5–2 record in his first seven starts. This made many people wonder if he would become the permanent starter.
Before the 2007 season, Garrard played very well in preseason games. Because of his strong performance, he was named the starting quarterback. He led the Jaguars to an impressive 10–2 record in the games he played. He threw 18 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions, showing great skill.
On January 5, 2008, Garrard led his team to a thrilling 31–29 playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. With less than two minutes left and his team down by one point, he made a crucial 32-yard run. This play set up the game-winning field goal for the Jaguars. A week later, the Jaguars lost to the unbeaten New England Patriots. Garrard set franchise records in that game with 22 completions and 278 yards.
In April 2008, Garrard signed a big contract extension with the Jaguars. He played all 16 games in 2008 and 2009. However, the team struggled with injuries and was rebuilding.
Garrard was chosen for the 2009 Pro Bowl. He played well, throwing for 183 yards and a touchdown in the AFC's win. In 2010, he had another good year, throwing 23 touchdowns and leading the team to an 8–6 record in his starts. In one game against the Cowboys, he had an amazing performance, throwing four touchdowns and rushing for another.
Despite his success, the Jaguars drafted a new quarterback in 2011. Garrard was released by the team just before the season started. After leaving Jacksonville, Garrard decided to have surgery on his back to prepare for the next season.
Miami Dolphins
On March 19, 2012, Garrard signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. Many thought he would be their starting quarterback. However, he had knee surgery in August and was released by the Dolphins in September 2012.
New York Jets and Retirement
The New York Jets signed Garrard on March 11, 2013. But on May 15, 2013, Garrard announced he would retire. His knee swelling made it hard for him to play. The Jets placed him on the reserve/retired list.
After resting his knee, Garrard decided to try playing again. The Jets allowed him to return on October 10, 2013. He was activated to the team later that month.
On May 8, 2015, David Garrard signed a special contract with the Jaguars. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the team he played for the longest.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2002 | JAX | 4 | 1 | 0–1 | 23 | 46 | 50.0 | 231 | 5.0 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 53.8 | 25 | 139 | 5.6 | 41 | 2 | 7 | 40 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | JAX | 2 | 0 | – | 9 | 12 | 75.0 | 86 | 7.2 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 122.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | JAX | 4 | 2 | 1–1 | 38 | 72 | 52.8 | 374 | 5.2 | 36 | 2 | 1 | 71.2 | 12 | 76 | 6.3 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | JAX | 7 | 5 | 4–1 | 98 | 168 | 58.3 | 1,117 | 6.6 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 83.9 | 31 | 172 | 5.5 | 28 | 3 | 8 | 45 | 4 | 1 |
| 2006 | JAX | 11 | 10 | 5–5 | 145 | 241 | 60.2 | 1,735 | 7.2 | 49 | 10 | 9 | 80.5 | 47 | 250 | 5.3 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 119 | 4 | 2 |
| 2007 | JAX | 12 | 12 | 9–3 | 208 | 325 | 64.0 | 2,509 | 7.7 | 59 | 18 | 3 | 102.2 | 49 | 185 | 3.8 | 19 | 1 | 21 | 99 | 3 | 2 |
| 2008 | JAX | 16 | 16 | 5–11 | 335 | 535 | 62.6 | 3,620 | 6.8 | 41 | 15 | 13 | 81.7 | 73 | 322 | 4.4 | 24 | 2 | 42 | 288 | 7 | 3 |
| 2009 | JAX | 16 | 16 | 7–9 | 314 | 516 | 60.9 | 3,597 | 7.0 | 63 | 15 | 10 | 83.5 | 77 | 323 | 4.2 | 30 | 3 | 42 | 236 | 14 | 8 |
| 2010 | JAX | 14 | 14 | 8–6 | 236 | 366 | 64.5 | 2,734 | 7.5 | 75 | 23 | 15 | 90.8 | 66 | 279 | 4.2 | 25 | 5 | 33 | 253 | 11 | 4 |
| Career | 86 | 76 | 39–37 | 1,406 | 2,281 | 61.6 | 16,003 | 7.0 | 75 | 89 | 54 | 85.8 | 380 | 1,746 | 4.6 | 41 | 17 | 179 | 1,115 | 44 | 21 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2005 | JAX | 1 | 0 | – | 3 | 8 | 37.5 | 68 | 8.5 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 68.7 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | JAX | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 31 | 54 | 57.4 | 418 | 7.7 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 77.5 | 8 | 72 | 9.0 | 32 | 0 | 5 | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 3 | 2 | 1–1 | 34 | 62 | 54.8 | 486 | 7.8 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 76.4 | 10 | 86 | 8.6 | 32 | 0 | 7 | 56 | 1 | 1 | |
Franchise Records
As of July 2020, David Garrard held several records for the Jacksonville Jaguars, including:
- Passer rating: career (85.8), season (102.2 in 2007), and a game record (157.8 on October 31, 2010, against Dallas).
- Sacked: playoff season (5 in 2007; tied with other players), and playoff game (4 on January 5, 2008, against Pittsburgh).
- Yards per attempt: playoffs (7.84), and playoff season (7.74 in 2007).
Personal Life
David Garrard proposed to his wife, Mary Knox, before a Jaguars preseason game in 2002. The proposal was shown on the stadium's big screen! They got married in February 2003 and have three children.
David has Crohn's disease. He has appeared in TV commercials to help people learn about treating this illness. He has also spoken to children at the Painted Turtle Camp. This camp is for kids with health conditions, and he shares his experiences living with Crohn's disease.
Garrard is a Christian. He has spoken about his faith, saying it gives him "so much peace." He believes he can always count on the Lord to be there for him.
