Former Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George is one of the greatest players in franchise history, but he remains on the outside looking in as far as the Pro Football Hall of Fame is concerned.
In eight seasons with the Titans, George put up some monster numbers and, in this writer’s opinion, did enough to make it to Canton.
He totaled seven 1,000-yard seasons, and three of those campaigns saw him rush for 1,300 yards or more (1,509 was his career-high in 2000). He also proved to be a solid pass-catcher, finishing with 300 or more receiving yards three times.
In all, George was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and got the nod as a First-Team All-Pro once. When you add it all up, he was easily one of the best backs of his generation.
CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo recently compiled a list of the best player from each franchise that isn’t in the Hall of Fame, and not only was George the pick for the Titans, DeArdo also believes the back should be in Canton.
A true battering ram, George helped carry the Titans to their first Super Bowl in 1999. A Pro Bowler each season from 1997-99 (as well as an All-Pro in 2000), George’s 95 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Super Bowl XXXIV helped the Titans overcome a 16-point deficit. George likely would have been named the game’s MVP if the Titans would have been able to upset the Rams, who held on for a 23-16 victory. In four games during the ’99 postseason, George rushed for 449 yards and three touchdowns that included his 162-yard effort in Tennessee’s upset of Peyton Manning’s Colts in the divisional round.
George, who also won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors during his career, had seven 1,000-yard seasons during his time with the franchise. He, along with quarterback Steve McNair, had a major impact in the integration of the franchise within the Nashville community after the franchise moved from Houston to Nashville in 1997.
Terrell Davis, who played two less seasons than George and has nearly 3,000 yards less, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, so there really isn’t an excuse for keeping the Titans great out. Sure, George didn’t win a Super Bowl like Davis, but his individual performance should trump that.
While he hasn’t made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, George has been honored by the Titans twice. He was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2008 and had his jersey number retired in 2019.
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