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Cowboys backup makes most of his understudy role

By RICHARD TIJERINA / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

IRVING, Texas -- Three years after the defining game of his NFL career, Jason Garrett continues to live the fairy tale. He has parlayed his persona as the unknown backup who led the Cowboys to a 42-31 come-from-behind Thanksgiving Day thriller over Green Bay into a role not usually reserved for a third-string quarterback.

Garrett, 31, is a fan favorite, an NFL anomaly, the league's busiest third-string quarterback. He is showered with cheers even as he totes his clipboard each Sunday. He makes regular public appearances. He has three radio stints, including the "Monday Night Football" -- accompanying "Cowboys Live" call-in show from Planet Hollywood every week.

What other third-string quarterback in the NFL generates such a profile? What other quarterback who has completed only 58 career passes -- none this season -- commands such attention?

"I know I've got a great following here, but I was just lucky enough to somehow get recognized," Garrett said. "The important thing for me to do is worry about myself, not others. It's the guys who play on Sundays that deserve the recognition."

Even as he downplays the attention he receives, it's Garrett who can't help but attract the crowds. His autograph-signing session at Academy Sports and Outdoors in Arlington on Saturday attracted a crowd of 400, which manager Bob Fussner said was larger than Garrett's appearance there last year.

"He has appeal to so many fans here," Fussner said. "He talks to the people as one of them. They really appreciate that. It gives them a chance to rub a real Cowboy, so to speak."

These are happy days. Garrett, with his flame-red hair and modest demeanor, is more Richie Cunningham than even Richie Cunningham, the Cowboys kicker. Sixteen quarterbacks -- including Troy Aikman and Rodney Peete -- were selected in the 1989 draft. Of those, only three are on an NFL roster.

Garrett signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent, then had stints on developmental rosters, practice squads, the World League and the Canadian Football League before getting his shot with Dallas in 1993.

That summer, he bumped free-agent acquisition Hugh Millen from the Cowboys' depth chart after a 549-yard, three-touchdown preseason. He is the only third-string quarterback in the NFL with three Super Bowl rings.

Still, it can be a lonely life as a third-string quarterback. Your clipboard is your best friend on Sundays. You rarely receive snaps with the first team. And you're even lower on the totem pole than the Vice President of the United States: As a third-stringer, you're one heartbeat away from, well, being No. 2.

Garrett is used to being alone; he even serves as his own agent. He grew up as the youngest of eight children and attended schools in Pennsylvania, Florida, Dallas, New Jersey, Dallas again, Houston and New Orleans -- all before he turned 16. Being a son of an NFL assistant coach prompted a nomadic lifestyle.

Friends were hard to come by. So the Garrett clan relied on each other.

"Generally, we would move in and take over a school," said Garrett, whose father, Jim, is a Cowboys scout. "It was great for us. We had a built-in family wherever we went. We made it like that because we had to."

Two of his brothers are NFL assistants: Judd is with the Saints, and John is with the Cincinnati Bengals. Another brother, Jim, is the head football coach at the high school they graduated from in Ohio.

At Princeton University, Garrett was an honorable mention All-American as a senior, when he was 1988 Ivy League Player of the Year. That was all a warmup, however, for his 1994 Thanksgiving Day.

With Aikman and Peete out with injuries, starting duties fell to Garrett. His first pass to a wide receiver that afternoon was intercepted, and the Cowboys trailed 17-6 at halftime. But he threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter, helping the Cowboys come from behind. The day began with the storyline "Jason who?" and ended with Garrett on national television, eating a turkey leg while being interviewed by John Madden.

Nevertheless, after the game, Garrett said, "I'll be running the scout team on Monday."

He practically was. Peete returned the next week, and it was back to the sidelines, back to his clipboard and back to anonymity for Garrett.

For right now, at least, that is the way he wants it.

"It's a great game just to be a part of," Garrett said. "I've certainly got enough fond memories just from that one game for the rest of my life. As a quarterback, your objective is to play. That's why I do this. But I like my situation here. I think they've got the best quarterback in the league; but hopefully, someday, I'll get the opportunity to play."

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Distributed by The Associated Press