Jeff George

Jeff George

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Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" George (born December 8, 1967) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. George played for the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears.

Early life

George was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Warren Central High School, where he was awarded 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. Collegiately, he attended Purdue University and the University of Illinois.

College career

George transferred after a year at Purdue University because the coach who recruited him, Leon Burtnett, was fired. Burtnett's replacement was Fred Akers, who had been known for his teams that used an run-heavy option type offense that required a more mobile QB. He subsequently committed to the University of Miami, but he backed out when coach Jimmy Johnson would not guarantee him a starting job at the QB-rich school. The schoolboy legend from Indianapolis ended up leaving the home-state school and became a Fighting Illini. He stayed at Illinois for two years, leaving with a year of eligibility remaining after being assured he would be drafted in the first five picks of the NFL draft (he was picked #1).

Pro career

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts traded to draft George, making him the first pick in the 1990 draft, and then rewarded him with the richest rookie contract in NFL history. What should have been a dream career with his hometown Colts turned ugly almost from the start. By the time it ended after four seasons with a trade to the Atlanta Falcons, he had made vile gestures to the hometown fans, argued with coach Ted Marchibroda, held out for 36 days, and tried to get a trade.

Atlanta Falcons

After four seasons with Indianapolis, the team that drafted him as their quarterback of the future, George was shipped to the Falcons, where he enjoyed a measure of success as the ringleader of their run & shoot-themed offense. In 1995, he led the Falcons to their first playoff appearance since 1991. On September 22, 1996, in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles, George got into a heated argument on the sidelines with then-Falcons coach June Jones, all of which was caught on camera for a national television audience. Jones suspended George for t