Tag: Jeff George

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Jeff George’s moonshots

The mystique of Jeff George is something we got to enjoy in 1999

Welcome to the 25 SKOL’s of Christmas!

In a similar vein to how Freeform has done the 25 days of Christmas, we will look back at different moments in Vikings history to bring a little extra joy to you this holiday season.

It’s that simple. The holidays can be a trying time for some people and we want to put a smile on people’s faces by reminiscing about some truly joyous times in Vikings’ history.

On the twenty-first SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Jeff George saving the 1999 season with moon shots.

The 1999 season was an interesting one for the Vikings. They were a field goal away from making the Super Bowl. Quarterback Randall Cunningham was such a renaissance with his near MVP campaign that the Vikings traded Brad Johnson to Washington for first, second and third-round picks.

Unfortunately, Cunningham couldn’t duplicate the same magic as the Vikings started out the season with a 2-4 record. Jeff George took over halfway through week six against the Detroit Lions and ended up finishing the season with an 8-2 record. It was another quarterback in the long line of journeymen that Green had success with.

Him playing well as a whole isn’t the story. It was how he played. George was the ultimate gunslinger. He had all the arm talent in the world but his attitude kept him from ever reaching his full potential. Some of the throws that he made were on another level. They are on the level of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.

The arm talent was absurd and he meshed well with the Vikings’ receivers, but they chose to move on in favor of third-string quarterback and 1999 first-round pick Daunte Culpepper. The tenure was only one season, but they made that season count.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

Drafting Randy Moss
Vikings 1997 Wild Card Comeback
Jarius Wright Walks Off the Jets
Jared Allen traded to Vikings
Adrian Peterson Sets Rushing Record
Brett Favre Revenge Tour
Bud Grant Rocks a Polo in Freezing Temperatures
Adrian Peterson Stiff Arms Defender to Oblivion
Anthony Carter Dominates the 1987 Playoffs
Kirk Cousins’ First Major Comeback
Randy Moss Dominates Monday Night Football
Tuesday Night Joe Webb
Randy Moss Laterals to Moe Williams
Miracle At The Met
Cris Carter catches number 1,000
Resurgence of Randall Cunningham
Sam Bradford Opens Up U.S. Bank Stadium
Teddy Bridgewater’s Triumphant Return
Randy Moss on Thanksgiving
Bernard Berrian 99 Yard Touchdown

The ugliest winning seasons in NFL history

The 2023 Steelers have an ugly winning season, but it’s not the worst winning season in pro football history. Not even close.

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Folks, the Pittsburgh Steelers just keep winning ugly. In their 23-19 Sunday win over the Green Bay Packers, Mike Tomlin’s team continued its streak of being outgained by every single one of its opponents. This time, the Packers gained 399 net yards to Pittsburgh’s 324. The Steelers are now the only professional football team since at least 1933 to be outgained in every game and still have a winning record.

Impressive? In a perverse way, yes.

Despite this lack of offensive firepower, and a point differential of -26, the Steelers stand at 6-3 on the season, which got us thinking — what are the worst winning seasons in NFL history? Those seasons in which you think to yourself, “There’s no WAY these guys can be winning,” but they are anyway?

As it turns out, the Steelers are nowhere near the worst winning teams in these categories. But it is notable that in all three seasons of Matt Canada’s tenure as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, the Steelers are either on this list, or in the discussion.

All-time high school QB rankings: Midwest region

The region may be better known for hockey weather, but some of the greatest high school quarterbacks of all time have come out of the Midwest.

Look through the record books of the regions and you’ll find some of the greatest high school quarterbacks of all time.

For the all-time high school QB rankings in the Midwest, we picked players from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

More All-time HS QB rankings:

East region

Southeast region

Perhaps Daniel Snyder’s largest error as owner of Washington

The mistakes were countless, but what do you think Snyder’s biggest mistake was?

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What do you recall as one of the biggest Daniel Snyder mistakes as owner of Washington’s NFL franchise?

During the hugely disappointing 2000 season in which Washington was 7-6, Snyder feeling he needed to make a splash fired head coach Norv Turner, and Washington finished 8-8.

After that 2000 season Snyder then hired a very hands-on football coach in Marty Schottenheimer. Marty felt he needed to get his message across to his team that the culture was going to be much different with Marty at the helm. He angered veterans in training camp, cut starting quarterback Jeff George after only two games, and the team went on to start 0-5.

But say what you will about Marty Schottenheimer, the man could coach a football team. He had taken the Cleveland Browns to consecutive AFC Championship games (1986-87). If that wasn’t enough, he coached the Kansas City Chiefs to a 101-58-1 .634 winning percentage.

Can Washington fans even imagine their team going an entire decade with a .634 winning percentage? Well not one of them under the age of 30 can do so.

Joe Gibbs in his first coaching term in Washington was 124-60 (.674). He also won 4 NFC Championships and 3 Super Bowls. George Allen in his seven seasons as Washington head coach (1971-77) was 67-30-1 (.691), winning one NFC championship, losing one Super Bowl.

Back to Marty. After being 0-5 the team was 6-8 when they traveled to New Orleans for a Sunday Night national television broadcast. Washington was physical, aggressive and frankly manhandled the Saints 40-10. Schottenheimer must have been so proud of his team’s performance.

When the 2001 team finished 8-8 there was a real hope, a real confidence that Marty could bring seasons of winning to Washington. But there was Schottenheimer and Snyder unable to form an agreement on how much power Marty would have over the football team.

Snyder had badly disrupted the 1999 playoff team, playing general manager ruining team chemistry. In Schottenheimer he saw someone strong enough who would seize and demand more control than made Snyder comfortable.  Snyder fired him, went out and hired Steve Spurrier, promising him a general manager that according to Spurrier, never truly materialized.

Schottenheimer never won a Super Bowl, but in his 21 years of NFL head coaching experience he did win 200 games (200-126-1 .613).  Had Snyder simply let Marty do his thing, and Snyder simply given up wanting to be head of player personnel, Washington fans most likely would have enjoyed winning football for a decade and not experienced the Steve Spurrier and Jim Zorn eras.

Might this have been the biggest mistake Snyder made in his years as owner?

Remember when Commanders owner Daniel Snyder wanted Jeff George?

What if Dan Snyder had kept Brad Johnson and never signed Jeff George?

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Washington won the NFC East in 1999.

The then-Redskins had finished 10-6 to win the division and defeated the Lions before traveling to Tampa and losing to the Buccaneers in the second round 14-13.

Daniel Snyder had taken over the ownership of the team following the draft. Charley Casserley had already traded for quarterback Brad Johnson after Trent Green had determined to leave via free agency following the 1998 season.

The 1999 team was at times very exciting offensively. Stephen Davis ran hard for 1,405 yards. Michael Westbrook led the team in receiving yards with 1,191 yards. Brad Johnson passed for 4,005 yards, as well as provided veteran leadership at quarterback the team had not enjoyed in several seasons.

Consequently, when it was time for the next offseason, Mr. Snyder determined he would act as general manager, seeing Casserly had “resigned” just prior to training camp of the ’99 season.

Snyder signed aging veterans to outrageous contracts: Jeff George (4 years, $18 million),  Mark Carrier (5 years, $15.9 million), Bruce Smith (5 years, $25 million), Deion Sanders (7 years, $56 million).

Each veteran had already reached and passed his prime, yet there was Mr. Snyder giving them too much money for the year 2000. Apparently, he had no understanding of team chemistry verses bringing in several outside players and paying them more than your own homegrown players.

Even more, why did he mess with the most important position on the team, quarterback? No doubt Snyder immediately alienated Johnson, and why wouldn’t this move have angered Johnson?

Making things worse, the quarterback Snyder wanted and brought to town was Jeff George. They guy who in 2001 would say leadership was overrated. He had already played in Indianapolis, Atlanta, Oakland and Minnesota. One can only imagine how upset head coach Norv Turner was over such a move by Snyder.

Johnson (7-4 in the games he started) was still Turner’s quarterback, but George would be in the lineup, starting five games as Washington went 1-4 in those games. After a 6-2 start, Washington limped down the stretch to 7-6.

Snyder again thought the only answer was for him to make a huge splash. So he fired head coach Norv Turner. The Redskins looked lost and apathetic losing 32-13 to the Cowboys and 24-3 to the Steelers.

Johnson, a free agent, couldn’t wait to get out of town, left for Tampa and led the Buccaneers to 9-7 in 2001 and a Super Bowl title in the 2002 season.

Mr. Snyder’s quarterback Jeff George, in 2001 started 0-2; the team played so horribly, new coach Marty Schottenheimer determined he was better off without George and cut him.

What on earth had Daniel Snyder been thinking that he thought it would be best to shake up a division winner replacing Brad Johnson with Jeff George?

For Washington fans, we had no idea, it was only the beginning…

Remember when Daniel Snyder fired Norv Turner?

Revisiting that miserable 2000 offseason that eventually led to Snyder firing Norv Turner.

Remember when Redskins owner Daniel Snyder fired Washington head coach Norv Turner?

Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, Washington lost an agonizing home game to the New York Giants 9-7.  What made matters even more frustrating for fans was that it was the second consecutive home loss and both against divisional opponents.

Former Washington Football Team head coach Norv Turner watches rookie minicamp at Inova Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

Washington had gone on the road and defeated defending Super Bowl champion St Louis 33-20, pushing their record to 7-4. However, a 23-20 loss to the Eagles and then the 9-7 loss to the Giants were more than Snyder could take, firing Turner.

It was typical Snyder at the time. Insistent on pushing buttons and making personnel moves, Snyder had signed aging veterans for much too-large of contracts in the 2000 offseason: Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, Mark Carrier and Jeff George. He had traded up in the draft ensuring Washington would draft No. 2  (LaVar Arrington) and No. 3 (Chris Samuels) in the 2000 draft.

Now Snyder was trying his hand at changing the head coach at the crucial time of three regular-season games remaining. Snyder was thinking when he pushed buttons the team would be motivated. So Turner was suddenly gone. Defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes had five years of NFL head coaching experience. Yet Snyder named offensive assistant Terry Robiskie the interim coach.

Of course, the move backfired miserably. The team played like they were very unmotivated. The Redskins not only lost, but they were also embarrassed in their next two games at Dallas (32-13) and at Pittsburgh (24-3).

Despite the fact Brad Johnson had passed for 4,000 yards, led the team to 10 wins, the NFC East title and a playoff win in 199, Snyder and his player personnel right-hand man Vinny Cerrato had been signing aging veterans to large contracts rather than Washington veterans. Jeff George who was known to be a poor leader was brought to quarterback despite the fact Brad Johnson had passed for 4,000 yards, led the team to 10 wins, the NFC East title and a playoff win in 1999.

What in the world was Snyder thinking?

I recall fans being excited. I recall the media being excited. It was one of the first times in my life I saw trouble out front. How on earth could he have thought Jeff George brought in was good for the team?

Brad Johnson? He got out of town as soon as he could following the 2000 season, signed a free agent contract with Tampa Bay and they won the Super Bowl with Johnson as their offensive leader in 2002.

The 2000 offseason was one where Snyder insisted on making his HUGE splashes. Yet in the end, the season was a mess, and Dan Snyder had no one to blame but himself. He tried to save the season by blaming Turner and firing him. That didn’t work out well either.

A disturbing pattern by Snyder was now beginning to be noticed.

Add Carson Wentz to long Washington QB list

What a brutal quarterback stretch for Washington.

Carson Wentz unfortunately joined the long list of Washington quarterbacks who experienced much disappointment.

In 1994, though he was drafted third overall in the draft, because Norv Turner wanted him, Heath Shuler was simply in over his head. He was a huge disappointment.

Jeff George was the mega-hyped free-agent signing by Daniel Snyder in 2000. But George disappointed, not improving the offense and was actually released early in his second season by Marty Schottenheimer.

Patrick Ramsey was a first round choice (32nd) in 2002 out of Tulane. In four seasons, Ramsey passed for 34 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.

Mark Brunell came in 2004, immediately revealing he was a shell of what he had been — a dynamic, mobile quarterback earlier in his career. Brunell did have some fine games in 2005 but was having difficulty staying healthy.

Jason Campbell was the 25th overall selection in the 2005 draft (Aaron Rodgers was taken 24th). Campbell often could move the team up and down the field until he reached the red zone, where he encountered problems.

Donovan McNabb came in a 2010 trade with the Eagles. If McNabb had been an efficient quarterback, why would Andy Reid have traded him to a divisional rival?

Rex Grossman loved to sling it as the 2011 starter, but the results were often not advantageous, so the owner traded 3 first-round choices and a second-round choice to select a Baylor rookie though he had won the Heisman Trophy, had not proven he could play in the pocket in college.

Robert Griffin III had a remarkably fun season in his rookie year, running the Shanahan zone-read offense. But following his bad knee injury, Griffin refused to run the offense that made him successful and never developed as a pocket passer in Washington or anywhere else.

Alex Smith was traded for in 2018 to help fans forget Kirk Cousins passing for over 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. But Smith struggled, seemed to check down an awful lot, and sadly experienced a gruesome injury against the Texans.

Case Keenum was traded for in 2019 to replace the horribly-injured Smith. Keenum led the team in passing with only 1,707 yards. The other quarterback seeing action was Dwayne Haskins because Mr. Snyder insisted he would be the 15th overall selection in the draft. It was a dismal 3-13 season and Haskins was cut during the 2020 season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick was signed to be the veteran who would manage games and bring a winner to Washington.  He injured his hip and never played after the first quarter of the opener.

Washington was the third team for Carson Wentz in three seasons. Wentz never looked comfortable. All season he was a model teammate but a struggling quarterback.

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Former Vol serving as quality control, split ends coach at Fort Scott

Former Vol serving as quality control, split ends coach in 2021.

Former Tennessee wide receiver Jeff George will serve as a quality control coach and oversee split ends this season at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas.

George played for the Vols from 2016-17.

He appeared in 20 games, totaling 10 receptions, 200 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown during his Tennessee career.

George came to Tennessee after playing at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kansas between 2014-15. He played at Southwestern Oklahoma State in 2013.

Prior to arriving at Fort Scott Community College, George served as an assistant coach at Leavenworth High School in Leavenworth, Kansas. He was responsible for coaching and developing wide receivers and quarterbacks, while assisting in play-calling and in-game adjustments.

Jeff George, Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Fort Scott will kick off its 2021 season on Sept. 2 against Highland Community College. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. EDT.

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Should the Colts go all-in on QB Justin Fields?

Is Justin Fields worth moving all the way up for?

With the 2021 NFL draft rapidly approaching, all the eyes of Indianapolis Colts fans are focused under center to see who will be the new starting quarterback in the Circle City.

The rumor mill has been running hot since even before the end of last season and shows no signs of letting up anytime soon. After the retirement of veteran Philip Rivers, every quarterback option from Carson Wentz and Sam Darnold to seemingly every option in this upcoming draft has been connected to the Colts in some form or another.

While the reported connections to Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz seem to have the most smoke to them at the moment, there appears to be a disconnect in terms of value when it comes to a trade which may lead to the Colts looking elsewhere for their field general of the future. If that is the case, one could see Ohio State junior quarterback Justin Fields as a top-tier option to target in the upcoming draft.

Fields, a 6-foot-2 former Heisman finalist in 2019, is widely considered by many to be the second-best option at the position behind Clemson star QB and likely No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence.

Most mock drafts so far this offseason have projected Fields to be drafted as high as the No. 2 spot, which makes a trade up from the Colts’ current spot at No. 21 overall a very difficult task to pull off. If he is indeed who Colts general manager Chris Ballard and staff want to target, it would take at least two first-round picks and most likely more to move up and get him, but is that a wise decision for the future given the risk?

Throughout the history of the NFL, there are many cautionary tales when it comes to trading up in the draft for a quarterback. From the Ryan Leaf trade in 1999 to the recent success of the trade-up for Super Bowl Champion Patrick Mahomes, there is no exact science when it comes to gambling for a quarterback.

One example a little closer to home in Indianapolis comes to mind from 1990, when the Colts traded up to the No. 1 overall pick to select Illinois quarterback Jeff George. Unfortunately, the trade was a dud for the Colts with George leading the team to a 1-15 record in 1991 and not much else before leaving the team a few years later.

With George and so many failed trades like his throughout the history of the NFL, is Fields the kind of next-level player worth that kind of gamble like Mahomes in 2017? Many would agree that he is with everything he brings to the table both as an athlete, and as a leader for one of the top college football programs in the nation at Ohio State playing at the highest level his entire college career.

Fields would fit perfectly in Colts head coach Frank Reich’s run-heavy offensive system as not just a talented running option, but a deep threat in the passing game as he’s shown time and again he can make all the pro-level throws.

It would be easy for anyone to get excited at the prospect of Fields adding his talents alongside one of the top offensive lines in the league, led by All-Pro Quenton Nelson, as well as second-year bell-cow running back Jonathan Taylor in Indy.

So if for any reason Fields could find his way even to the bottom of the top 10 this year, it would be hard to pass on a high-level talent that brings most everything this Colts offense has lacked in recent years.

If the cards are played right, Fields could be that missing piece Ballard needs to take this great foundation of a football team to the next level, and possibly to a Colts Super Bowl victory in the near future.

6 quarterbacks who became the No. 1 overall pick after transferring colleges

Joe Burrow becomes the third straight No. 1 overall pick to have transferred schools in college.

The road to the top overall selection doesn’t always go through one college. Joe Burrow becomes the sixth top pick — and third straight — to play quarterback and switch schools.

Troy Aikman at UCLA

USA TODAY Sports

Troy Aikman began his college career at Oklahoma. He was 3-0 as a starter before suffering a leg injury. While Aikman was out, the offense change and he transferred to UCLA.

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