Roberto Garza leads the way for Latinos in the NFL

Chicago Bears center Roberto Garza is entering his 14th season as an offensive lineman in the National Football League. That statistic alone is a major…

Chicago Bears guard/center Roberto Garza (63) arrives for the team’s NFL football training camp at Olivet Nazarene University on Wednesday, July 23, 2014., in Bourbonnais, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bears center Roberto Garza is entering his 14th season as an offensive lineman in the National Football League. That statistic alone is a major accomplishment in itself. Garza is currently the second-longest tenured Latino in the NFL, trailing only legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez who played 17 seasons ( for Kansas City and Atlanta).

Garza is ahead of Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Muñoz who played 13 seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals. Garza began his career as a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2001, he was selected 99th overall in that year’s draft. He didn’t get much playing time in the Georgia Dome, so he took his talents to Chicago in 2005.

He started with the Bears as the backup to then-starting center Olin Kreutz. In 2006, he started at right guard next to Kreutz but just a few years later he became the starting center. He still holds that position to this day.

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So as I spoke to him after Monday’s practice at Chicago Bears training camp, he was initially surprised when I informed him of his achievement. But then he was able to put his career in perspective. With his family by his side, Garza said to me…

“I’m just very fortunate to keep playing football, I love to play the game, I’ve been very fortunate to be playing as long as I have.”

He also understands the importance of those who came before him…. “For guys like Tony Gonzalez, Anthony Muñoz and those who came before me and led the way, it’s truly an honor to play this game.”

Garza is also a humble man and refuses to give himself any credit or praise. “By no means am I comparing myself to those guys”, Garza said, “those guys are unbelievable players” he added.

He also knows full well how Muñoz changed the history of the game. “Before him it was only kickers of Latino decent, he was the first guy to play offensive line. Obviously when you see a Hall of Fame player like him you look up to a guy like that.

“I’ve watched him, I’ve had the chance to talk to him, we’ve done some community stuff in the past, what a great man and what a great player.”

At the end of the day however, Garza understands just how important he is to the league, to the community, and to the growth of the game.

“To serve and represent the Latino community feels great” Garza said. He added, “I tell all the kids that no matter where you come from, if you have a dream,  you work towards that dream and anybody can reach their goals if they work hard.”

Speaking of the growth of the game, the 35-year-old lineman had this to say… “The population is growing and everywhere you go you see the backing of the NFL by the Latino community. Especially here in Chicago, one of the biggest Latino markets with a big Latino population and a big Latino following.”

Despite growing up in a very large Hispanic community, Rio Hondo, Texas, Garza says he was never pressured to participate in stereotypical Latino sports like baseball, soccer or boxing.

“I was too big to play soccer because I couldn’t run fast. So football was my sport along with track and powerlifting in high school. I fell in love with football, I’ve been playing it since I was 13.”

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In February, Garza was the sideline reporter for the Fox Deportes Spanish language broadcast of Super Bowl 48. Currently the Bears have their radio games broadcast in Spanish on WLEY-FM. Garza says that he sees a day where telecasts such as Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football could also have bilingual presentations.

“It’s definitely growing, it’s taking steps towards that way, the audience and the population is there. There’s Fox Deportes, there’s ESPN Deportes, there’s a lot of competing (Spanish-speaking) networks  out there.”

Garza also has a special message for young Latino’s….

“If you have any goal, you can reach that goal. It’s gonna take a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice and not everyone is going to make it to the professional leagues. But if you have a dream, you can work towards that dream by making the right decisions, by going to school, by studying, by working hard and by never giving up.”

Rest assured that his message will resonate throughout the land. But for now, he continues to play the game he loves, and sets an example in the process.

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