Eddie George

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

George’s journey began at Abington Senior High School before he transferred to Fork Union Military Academy for his postgraduate year, where he rushed for 1,372 yards. At Ohio State University, he overcame a freshman season marred by two costly fumbles against Illinois to become the team's starting running back as a junior. His senior year in 1995 was legendary; he set a school record with 1,927 rushing yards and scored 24 touchdowns. That season, he co-led the nation in rushing touchdowns and led the nation in scoring with 150 points. George won the Heisman Trophy in the closest vote in its history at that time, defeating Nebraska's Tommie Frazier by 1,162 votes (1,460 to 298). He finished his college career second in school history for rushing yards (3,768) and third for touchdowns (44).

In Their Own Story

In the 1996 NFL Draft, the Houston Oilers traded their original first-round pick to secure George as the 14th overall selection. He immediately won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. George started every single game from 1997 through 2003, becoming only the second running back in history to rush for over 10,000 yards without missing a start, joining Jim Brown. His durability was unmatched; he holds the record for consecutive regular-season starts among running backs with 130. In 1999, after the franchise moved to Tennessee, George led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV against the St. Louis Rams. He rushed for 95 yards and scored two touchdowns in the loss. Despite numerous writers suggesting his heavy workload caused a decline, he carried the ball over 330 times in five of eight seasons with the Titans.

Reader's Guide

George played nine professional seasons, primarily for the Tennessee Titans (formerly Houston Oilers) and finishing with a single season at the Dallas Cowboys in 2004. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four consecutive years from 1997 to 2000 and earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2000. In 2001, he averaged just 2.98 yards per carry, a low for his career, contributing to his release by owner Bud Adams on July 21, 2004, due to salary cap issues and a refusal to take a pay cut. George signed with Dallas two days later but retired officially in 2006. His career totals include 10,441 rushing yards and 68 touchdowns. In 2019, the Titans retired his number 27 jersey alongside Steve McNair's number 9. He was a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Did You Know?

• George won the Heisman Trophy in the closest vote in the award's history at that time, beating Tommie Frazier by 1,162 votes (1,460 to 298).
• He is one of only two running backs to rush for over 10,000 yards while starting 128 of 130 career games, a testament to his remarkable durability.
• After his NFL career, George appeared on Broadway as Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago.
• As a senior at Ohio State, he rushed for a school-record 314 yards against Illinois and 207 yards against Notre Dame.
• George earned an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management after retiring from football.