29 Facts About Jeff George

1.

Jeffrey Scott George was born on December 8,1967 and is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons.

2.

Jeff George attended Warren Central High School, where he received the Dial Award for the national high school scholar-athlete of the year in 1985 and was the first Gatorade National Player of the Year.

3.

Jeff George attended Purdue University and the University of Illinois.

4.

Jeff George transferred after a year at Purdue when the coach who recruited him, Leon Burtnett, resigned.

5.

Jeff George subsequently committed to the University of Miami, but he backed out when coach Jimmy Johnson would not guarantee him a starting job.

6.

Jeff George stayed at Illinois for two years, leaving with a year of eligibility remaining after being assured he would be drafted as one of the first five picks of the NFL draft.

7.

The Colts traded up to draft Jeff George, making him the first pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, and signed him to the richest rookie contract in NFL history at the time.

8.

Jeff George threw 46 interceptions to 41 touchdowns and lost 35 of his 49 career starts as a Colt; his only winning season with the Colts was 1992, during which he played ten games and threw 15 interceptions to seven touchdowns.

9.

In 1995, Jeff George led the Falcons to their first playoff appearance since 1991.

10.

On September 22,1996, in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jeff George got into a heated argument on the sidelines with Falcons coach June Jones, all of which was caught on camera for a national television audience.

11.

Years after the incident, Jones became an advocate for Jeff George, stating that the TV argument was overblown and that Jeff George was a good quarterback, a team player and worthy of being on an NFL roster.

12.

Jeff George signed with the Oakland Raiders for the 1997 after leaving the Falcons.

13.

Jeff George was inconsistent at the beginning of the year, and later struggled with a groin pull, telling a local radio audience that he was finished for the year.

14.

Jeff George ignored the offensive coordinator's play calls during the 1998 season and ran his own plays through a wristband containing plays.

15.

Cunningham struggled at the start of the 1999 season and was benched, and Jeff George took over the starting role.

16.

Jeff George hoped to return to Minnesota as a starting quarterback but was told by head coach Dennis Green to "shop around".

17.

Rather than sign with the Vikings, Jeff George signed a four-year contract worth $14.8 million with the Washington Redskins as Brad Johnson's backup.

18.

Jeff George replaced him and started two games, both losses, after Norv Turner was fired in favor of interim coach Terry Robiskie.

19.

Jeff George clashed with Schottenheimer over the offense, though the coach promised to work Jeff George through any problems he might have with the scheme.

20.

Jeff George was given 24 hours to remove his personal items from the Redskins' facilities before they were discarded.

21.

Jeff George seemingly retired after his last game in Washington, but he proceeded to make several sideline appearances in the following years.

22.

Jeff George signed briefly with the Seattle Seahawks in late 2002 as an emergency quarterback.

23.

In 2004, after two years away from the game, Jeff George joined his seventh club, the Chicago Bears.

24.

Jeff George was not retained by the Bears for the 2005 season, nor was he signed by any other team.

25.

Jeff George was expected to compete for the third-string quarterback position.

26.

Moss has previously stated that Jeff George was his favorite of all the quarterbacks he's worked with.

27.

Jeff George has commented in the past that he and George would take weekend fishing trips together when they both lived in Minnesota.

28.

On October 30,2007, during Mike and Mike in the Morning, Michael Kim in a SportsCenter update reported that Jeff George was interested in making another comeback, this time with the Minnesota Vikings, a team where he once had some success.

29.

Jeff George has made occasional appearances on NFL Total Access with Rich Eisen and Terrell Davis.