David Garrard Returns To New York Jets

To retire or not to retire? For David Garrard, this time it’s the latter, as the veteran quarterback returned to the New York Jets this week, after saying in May that he was done with football.

Garrard was greeted in the Jets locker room by former teammates and a new locker spot while wearing a black t-shirt with the words, “Some things just won’t retire,” written on the front.

The veteran quarterback did try and retire in May, but USA Today reports that he decided retirement didn’t suit him, at least not yet. Garrard explained on Thursday:

“I didn’t want to turn 50, look back, and be that guy that said, ‘What if I just called somebody?’ I’m glad I did.”

And Jets fans are probably glad as well. Garrard was removed from the reserve-retired list and placed on the exempt list, meaning he will be allowed to attend practice and meetings. His return will certainly help rookie Geno Smith, who was left to take the reigns of the team’s quarterback position after Mark Sanchez’s season-ending shoulder surgery.

ESPN notes that the Jets will have until October 21 to decide if they will activate David Garrard to the 53-man roster. The veteran QB took to Twitter to announce his comeback with a photo of his new shirt and the words, “I love being a JET again!!”

Garrard told reporters that he called Jets general manager John Idzik on Sunday while watching NFL on the TV to ask for another chance. He recalled thinking to himself, “I need to be somewhere. There’s no reason for me to be sitting at home.” He added that, if the Jets didn’t take him back, he would have asked to be released from the reserve list, opening him up to other teams.

Thankfully for Jets fans, that didn’t happen. It isn’t clear when David Garrard will appear for his first NFL game since coming out of retirement.

I love being a JET again!! pic.twitter.com/bymCpYDLyW

— David Garrard (@davidgarrard9) October 10, 2013

[Image via lev radin / Shutterstock.com]