Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Roberto Garza reflects on his failed physical with Ravens that led him to sign with Bears in 2005

Episode Date: March 11, 2026

Leila Rahimi and Marshall Harris were joined by former Bears offensive lineman Roberto Garza to reflect on his failed physical with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005, which led him to sign with Chicago, where he found great success.

The Chicago Bears are the oldest franchise in the NFL over 90 years of history. And in that history, no bear has started more games consecutively than Rio Hondo's own Roberto Garza. And now with a new contract in hand, the former Bobcat and Havillina has a chance to extend that record. They know I want to be a Chicago bear. They know I want to retire a Chicago bear. Officially 49 yards. It gets it down. Friend Brad Biggs, friend of the show, I heard him on a score this morning.

and said he was talking to my guy out there in Texas, Roberto Garza. I remember the first time I got hit, the first time I gave a hit. I was like, man, this is fun. I enjoy this. With Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043 The Score. How about this? We ask and he appears. Roberto Garza and yes, Rio Hondo's own,

and I can't believe I heard a havelina reference here on 1043, the score. He went to Texas A&M, Kingsville. That is their mascot. And the former Bear Center now joined. joins us on our hotlight and he's nice enough to join us on Twitch, twitch.tv slash the score Chicago. Roberto Garza, thank you for joining us today. This is great.

Of course, got to get the havelinas in there. Not too many people know what the havalina actually is, but it's between a rat and a pig. There's not much to it, man. It's a wild boar. Yeah. Yeah, it is. It is.

They run all over Texas and kind of just overrun, unfortunately. the wilderness population and get in the way of hunters when you're out there trying to hunt a white tail and then you hear all you hear is those havelinas kind of get in the way and scare your deer way it's not a fun fun time thank you for successfully explaining this i have on my north texas hoodie today and i did not think we would get into havelina talk and you even have a bear's backdrop on twitch so i feel like we're spraying to all fields today on the score thanks so much oh i appreciate it man thank you guys for having me and uh looking forward to talking to all the day.

Well, us too. And I think you know the biggest news of the day, Roberto, is essentially a process that you know all too well. You know, in 2005, $7 million, three-year deal. And correct me if these numbers are wrong, because this is the report with Baltimore. And your physical didn't go through. And you end up in a different place. You end up ultimately becoming a Chicago bear. You know, take us through the mental process of going through all of that.

and then ultimately ending up in a different place. Yeah, you know, you get excited. You finally get that first opportunity to sign the contract. I finished my rookie deal in Atlanta. And at that time, I had a one year of a tender, and then they offered a tender, and I thought I was worth more. Went to Baltimore, you know, everything's, but just signing the contract. You know, they go through your physical.

I just got done playing 17 games. That's the year we went to the NFC Championship games with the Falcons, lost to the Eagles. So I literally just got done playing football, and we're taking the physical. And I had surgery in my knee a year and some change from the day of the physical. And the doctor's like, you don't have an ACL.

Like, what do you mean? I had surgery a year ago. I just got done playing 17 games. Like, what do you mean I don't have an ACL? Nope, you don't have an ACL. So they did an MRI. And of course, I mean, it comes back. I don't have an ACL.

So they obviously at that point We're like they had some concerns And just so right They don't want a 25 year old offensive linemen Signed a new deal with a torn ACL But I just told them and I said look man I just got done playing I had no issues After that it was about two months

And I didn't get a phone call and it started to wonder Am I going to get a chance to keep playing football Obviously I love playing football Wanting to keep playing the NFL Not until Chris Ballard, who was at the time a scout for the Bears, now the gym for the Colts, was one of my college coaches at Kingsville for the fighting

havinas. Yeah, and an A&M alum, yeah. Absolutely. And he's the one that told Jerry's like, hey, man, give this kid a chance. We have, at that time, I went to a doctor here in San Antonio that said that I had, I can't remember what the term he said, that I could play with a tour ACL. I just put a brace on it.

And at the time I signed a, if I got, if I was to get hurt by, if I have to hurt that right knee, the bears wouldn't be liable for that, for that first year as kind of insurance for the team to take a risk on me. And, you know, like to say, the rest is history. You know, at the time it happened, you kind of think about why did the ravens do this to me, but I understood, it took many years to understand the big picture, right? At the, at the time when you're young, you kind of just think about what they did. and how they took that opportunity away from you. But obviously, in hindsight, it became a good thing

because I was able to go and play for a great organization, a great team, and play with some of the best guys that I could have played with in their locker room and obviously do some fun things in Chicago during my 10 years there. Roberto, it's so interesting because you didn't have an ACL, but apparently you didn't feel any adverse effects from it. And so it gets us to thinking about

when we talk about physicals and players passing or failing physicals, do you think of that process completely different after having gone through that? And as you see news like this come out about what happened with Max Crosby? Absolutely. Because, you know, the body is obviously limitless and how you prepare for the season and how your preparation is obviously the key, keeping your body as strong as possible, keeping your body to be able to do what do you ask of it.

And that's the key. For me, I was fortunate that I had, I always loved to squat. I always loved to train. So that was a big part of my off-season work in preparation for the season. So I continued that, and I thought that gave me the ability to go out there and play without an ACL for those 10 years in Chicago. Obviously, I braced up and never had any issues. But your training and what your body can do is obviously endless now.

So, and the guy that you hear about that works as hard as match cross. Cosby, obviously, to get themselves ready to play. So obviously, you understand they have all the research and they have all the, you know, the background to say, obviously, if you have an ACL, there's not many people, obviously, they play with a torn ACL. I mean, you know, they have surgeries for that for a reason, right? And they get the opportunities to come back and rehab and stay healthy. But fortunate for me, I was one of the guys that could keep playing, right?

And I would imagine that Max Crosby, a guy that goes out and plays the way. he does does his offseason work just as intensely to get ready for the season. We're talking to Roberto Garza the former Bears Center. He's also on Twitch with us here on Rahimi Harrison Rode Twitch.tv.tv slash the score Chicago. I think it is

important too when you talked about what for you is a formality because that process led you to then playing for the Bears and playing 10 years like you mentioned. It was part of a means to an end for your career. But I think you let us in on part of the process and how they try,

executives try to just make sure what they're financially responsible for. You know, when you talk about that process and then what the knee means if there's a financial concern or an issue, it sounds like there's liability there. Can you detail that process for us a little bit more just when it comes to what you experienced? Well, you know, in a case like Max Crosby, they're investing a lot of money into a player that you're hoping will change your franchise, right? It will be a French, a face, obviously alongside Lamar and some of the current players. But you're investing, obviously, in his case, probably over $100 million, right?

So you want to make sure that you have your return on your investment. It would be the way the team looks at. It's a business. If I put in this money, but it's a damaged product, where can this be, right? So they got to protect the interests of the team. Is that right? Is that wrong? I don't know.

For a player like Max Crosby, that can be a difference maker. is the key, right? And that's a gamble that you take, because now I know I took it for myself that I was going to prove them wrong. I was going to go on the field and obviously get the opportunity to compete and then get on the field and say,

you know what, I'm going to go play for 10 years. Obviously, it all worked out. Obviously, not all cases happen that way, but you would think of Max Crosby's going to go out there and have a hell of a year next year and show Baltimore that they should have picked him instead of the guy that they signed. Obviously, both incredible talents.

but you get that chip on your shoulder like, all right, then this team doesn't want me. They don't want to invest in me. Then I'm going to go out there and prove myself that I can be that kind of player. The emotional side of it, as you know, can mean a lot because it can feel you to, oh, I don't know, be part of a Super Bowl team. But when it comes to the aspect of you had to sign something. When they separated the knee injury, can you just describe a little bit more what that was? Like if you get injured because of this, then who's responsible?

Is that along the line? of what happened, like correct me if I'm wrong here? No, you are exactly right. So I signed a one-year deal. Any injury that came from the knee, the team wasn't going to be liable for that knee. So they wouldn't have to pay for my rehab. Anything like that, they could just cut me on the spot, not responsive for any other payment at that point.

So after that year, when I signed a six-year contract, we took that out. And then it was like, all right, you just proved that you can pay on that knee with no issues. And then that was taking out of the contracts from then that point on. But I had to prove to them that I wasn't going to be a liability, that that knee wasn't going to be a liability. They could count on me to go out there and compete a week in and week out and stay on the field, which for me was one of the most important things is to be able to snap up that helmet week in and week out. Roberto, I just got to ask you, like, did you understand, like, how different were the feelings in your legs? And does that persist today?

I'm just curious, since you clearly didn't know that you didn't, that you had this problem. Right. Even, you know, actually, my other knees, I want to hurt some more. I had a lateral meniscus years after against Green Bay. And that's the need that I get more pain in than my knee that I don't have an ACL. I still haven't had it repaired because I haven't had any issues with it. But you know, it's crazy as I think the year that I was cut in 2015, that September was the first time that knee swelled up on me.

And then I guess it was just my time to retire or get asked to retire. But, you know, it was just interesting that even to this day, I still don't have any issues with it. So obviously, I still work out and still kind of keep my body moving so I can not have the effects of playing as long as I did. but I do enjoy the gym, so it keeps me motivated to keep my body functioning the way that I can. And Roberto, one more thing. I know we're up against a break, but I have to ask you,

when the Bears got Drew Dalman, everybody said it was the first bona fide center since you that the Bears had gone out and gotten in free agency. 11 years is a long time. And now that Drew's retired, the Bears traded for the Patriot Center, Garrett Bradbury, what do you hope for the, for the consistent? or just what you want to see in a center for the Bears? Obviously, what the offensive line was able to do last year was impressive, right? What Poles was able to do with bringing all the guys in,

so they'll find that position is impressive. Obviously, it starts with the offensive line coming from an offensive line, and that's what you're going to hear. But that team transformed last year and became a threat in the NFC and the NFL. So when you combine what Ben Johnson is doing with Caleb is doing with those receivers and with a smart center that can go out there and change those protections, get everybody on the right page

and give you 16 games, 17 games now, in a row, keeping those guys on the field, they're working together and keeping that chemistry. That's what it's about, right? Making the right calls, getting those guys to go out there and compete together and have each other back. And that's what we saw this past year.

You would imagine they continue that. They've set a standard for the way they play football in that building. when it starts with the offensive line and obviously the defensive line. And you expect the new center to come in and step in and some of the older guys that were there last year

and set that standard and practice a certain way and prepare a certain way to go out there and build on what they did this past season. Well, Roberto, this has been a really great time. Thank you so much for joining us and providing some really priceless perspective on it all. Thanks, Roberto.

Thank you guys. I'll have a good day, man. You too. That is Roberto Garza, the longtime Bear Center, as you mentioned, for 10 years. Nice enough to join us here in Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043, the score and on Twitch. We have big breaking news. This is according to Tom Pelliserro, three-time Pro Bowl safety. Kevin Byrd is signing with the Patriots, a one-year $9 million deal. And it was negotiated by the famous agent, David Mugoletta. of athletes first. So that is the news regarding Kevin Byard, no longer a bear. I don't know if it was as much money as we thought he was going to get

and as many years, one year and nine million. Definitely a raise from the 7.5, but less guaranteed money. I mean, yeah. Fewer years. It's tough. A lot of people thought it would be two in the neighborhood of perhaps 10 each, but this is cheaper than that even.

Clearly wanting to stay with a winner and getting a raise, I think he's probably at his age on a year-to-year basis now to get that type of money anyway. Sad. It's not great. He was such a respected leader on that team and what he did leading the NFL in Interceptions with 7 in the regular season. He will be missed.

We will have more on that next. In the meantime, join me, Leila Rahimi, next Thursday, March 19th, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Old Crow Smokehouse in Wrigleyville for the finals of Bud Light's official mini hoops mania. Hang out with Bud Light and the score as one Chicago winner heads to Vegas for a chance at $10,000. That's Thursday, March 19th, starting at 7th at Old Crow in Wrigleyville. We'll react to this and have more next.