Jeff George Still Wants to Play in NFL

Posted Jul 27, 2009 11:20AM By Ryan Wilson (RSS feed)

Filed Under: NFL Fans

Jeff George and Brett Favre came into the NFL in the early '90s, but that's where the similarities end. George, the first-overall pick in 1990, was known more for his mercurial disposition and unfulfilled potential; Favre, a 1991 second-rounder was, until last year, one of the league's most popular players and a Super Bowl champion.

Both players are currently out of the NFL, although Favre's return is imminent (because, well, that's how he rolls). The 41-year-old George, who last saw the field in '01, would gladly welcome a chance to play again. I suspect Jason Whitlock fully supports this.

Via IlliniHQ.com:

"I feel like I can still play, and if there's someone out there to give me a shot, that would be wonderful," George said last week on his way back home to Indianapolis from one of his frequent trips to Champaign, where he tutors Atkins and a couple of other young area quarterbacks. ...

"You look throughout the league, you see 20 teams that need quarterbacks – 20 teams need starters – and probably everybody needs a backup," George said. "In my opinion, there's just not a lot of quality quarterbacks out there these days."

I can't disagree with that -- the NFL is full of backups who represent huge drop-offs from the guys they play behind. Despite the physical tools, teams haven't shown interest in George. Part of me wonders if this has more to do with the perception that he is difficult to work with than the fact that he's been on this planet for more than four decades.

I mean, if Brad Johnson can hold down a job as a second- or third-string quarterback, certainly there's room for George. Better yet: a team in the market for a starter (like, say, the Vikings) might also want to consider him. He's just like Favre, but with out the megalomania. See?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-27-2009 @ 12:31PM

joanthan said...

George has been blackballed, which is usually reserved for black quarterbacks. Shaun King and Aaron Brooks could help teams as well, but no one will give them a chance. Byron Leftwich and Daunte Culpepper didn't have much of a market either....

7-27-2009 @ 1:20PM

taj696897 said...

yes u are right now i dont think shaun king is blk balled but i do think brooks was and pepper and leftwich but i think its because no one wants a blk back up to a wht starter when the blk backup use to be a starter who can throw well and run because it will start a race problem on the team its easy to just get a wht boy to back up let them fuss and fight if the starter isnt doing well its call wht on wht no problems

7-27-2009 @ 2:17PM

cjgdnight said...

This shows NFL is a business that doesn't care what color your skin is.... it cares what you bring to the game to include attitude.

All the quarterbacks you mention once started, and one could argue no longer start because their perception of how good they are isn't close to the actual performance... white/ black.. whatever you cannot be disruptive to the organization (Jeff George).

There is some truth that you do not want your number one guy looking over his shoulder every time he throws an interception... if the back up is close in ability that is what you get... more importantly you get a team divided to who is the leader.

Charlie Batch is a good example of a guy with a modest ego and good skills that was able to fit into a team.

7-27-2009 @ 6:23PM

barham619 said...

joanthan said...
"George has been blackballed, which is usually reserved for black quarterbacks." What are you some kind of freaking moron. You want to play the race on any freaking thing. You make me sick. What about Clint Longley, and Art Schlicter, and 100 others. You are an ignorant fool caught up in your own world. Play that race card you idiot. Eventually you and fools like you will run out of cards and have to play in the REAL world!!!

7-27-2009 @ 9:55PM

@barham619

I will go ahead and call you out since you decided to call me a moron. I don't think I've used the "race card" anywhere else except for here, so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

As for Clint Longley and Art Schlicter, one punched his teammate and one was suspended by the league for a gambling problem, which is far different than Jeff George or any of the other black QBs listed above.

Why are Aaron Brooks and Shaun King out of the league but Joey Harrington, Kyle Boller, David Carr and Josh McCown are still playing football? Brooks and King had FAR better careers and can't even get a tryout. Bryon Leftwich and Daunte Culpepper had less value on the open market and fewer chances than those guys.

7-27-2009 @ 12:38PM

mike buchholz said...

i'm pretty sure favre was a 1991 second round draft pick by the atlanta falcons. not a third rounder in 1993. do you guys do no fact checking when writing stuff like this? seriously.

7-27-2009 @ 1:09PM

ryan said...

mike,

You're right. I typed it, meant to double-check, and forgot. Thanks for the heads-up.

7-27-2009 @ 2:56PM

krayzwhiteboy25 said...

Guys, Michael Vick is being questioned by teams as to whether or not he can contribute after being out the league for 2 years even after making the pro bwl recently. Let's not forget Jeff George hasn't been even slightly relevant in the NFL for close to ten years and he was never a very good QB at that time either. George isn;t being blackballed or anything like that, he was never has good as he thought he was and he's been living off his draft hype and arm strength for a dozen years

7-27-2009 @ 3:00PM

Why is it so hard to believe that a terrible 41 year old QB who hasn't played in EIGHT YEARS is unwanted by NFL teams? lol