Agent: Jaguars misled Garrard on injury

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Quarterback David Garrard's agent said the Jacksonville Jaguars withheld information about his injury and released him to avoid paying him for missed games.

Al Irby said in an e-mail to The (Jacksonville, Fla) Times-Union the team knew it would have to pay Garrard for four to six weeks while he was sidelined with an injury and released him from the team Sept. 6 instead.

"At $500,000 per game, they knew he would be down 4-6 weeks. They didn't want to pay that bill," Irby wrote.

Irby said the team told Garrard his back was "fine" and "he took them at their word."

After he suffered extreme pain in his leg about two weeks ago, Gerrard's wife suggested he go to an emergency room, where he got an anti-inflammatory shot and painkillers, the Times-Union said.

But after suffering numbness in his calf, he realized it wasn't a normal leg injury, and an MRI revealed a herniated disc that would require surgery, making it unlikely he'll play this season.

"Now he has to go to surgery, and Jacksonville is saying, 'Not my problem.' What a first-class organization," Irby said.

Jaguars general manager Gene Smith responded to Irby's comments in an email, saying, "David went through the standard process that all players go through when released."

Garrard said he plans to return to football

The Times-Union said the Oakland Raiders contacted Irby Sunday after quarterback Jason Campbell was injured, and Irby said Garrard was getting a second opinion Monday on the need for surgery. The second opinion confirmed Garrard needed the surgery.