.png) George in 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| Bowling Green Falcons | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Head coach | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1973-09-24)September 24, 1973 (age 52) Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Fork Union Military (Fork Union, Virginia) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Ohio State (1992–1995) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1996: 1st round, 14th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
As a player:
As a coach:
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||
| Regular season | 27–29 (.482) | ||||||||||||||
| Postseason | 0–1 (.000) | ||||||||||||||
| Career | 27–30 (.474) | ||||||||||||||
Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an Americanfootball coach and former professional running back who is the head coach for theBowling Green Falcons. He previously served as the head coach of theTennessee State Tigers from 2021 to 2024. George playedcollege football for theOhio State Buckeyes from1992 to1995. He played in theNational Football League (NFL) for nine seasons from 1996 to 2004, primarily for theTennessee Titans franchise.
George was born inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania. He attendedAbington Senior High School until the 10th grade and then transferred toFork Union Military Academy. George enrolled atOhio State University and played running back for the Buckeyes, starting for two seasons. As a senior in 1995, he led Ohio State to theFlorida Citrus Bowl and won theHeisman Trophy. George was inducted to theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2011 as a player,[1] and theInternational Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.[2]
TheHouston Oilers selected George in the first round (14th overall) of the1996 NFL draft. He played nine seasons as a running back in the NFL, with the Tennessee Titans (both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers) andDallas Cowboys for a single season in 2004. George became a starter immediately upon joining the Oilers. In 1999, after the franchise moved to Tennessee, he led the Titans to an appearance inSuper Bowl XXXIV, was selected to thePro Bowl, and was honored as a second-team All-Pro.
After football, George earned an MBA fromNorthwestern University'sKellogg School of Management. In 2015, he guest-starred on anIFC episode of the satirical talk showComedy Bang! Bang!, titled "Eddie George Wears a Navy Suit and Half-Zip Pullover." The following year, George appeared onBroadway in the musicalChicago as the hustling lawyerBilly Flynn.[3]
George was born inPhiladelphia.[4] He playedPop Warner football for the Abington Raiders. He attendedAbington Senior High School until the 10th grade, and then transferred toFork Union Military Academy. George made the decision to stay at Fork Union Military Academy for a fifth preparatory school year orpostgraduate year. Such choices are commonly made by high-school football players hoping to improve their recruitment status with colleges, but for George, it meant another year of the rigorous military lifestyle. He rushed for 1,372 yards in his postgraduate season at FUMA, attracting the attention of several major colleges.
George attended Ohio State University, where he majored in landscape architecture and played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. As a freshman, George scored three rushing touchdowns in a win overSyracuse, but suffered a major setback in a game againstIllinois. In that game, George lost a fumble at the Illinois four-yard line that was returned 96 yards for a touchdown. Later in the game, with Ohio State leading by two points in the final quarter, George fumbled again, this time on Illinois' one-yard line. Illinois recovered the fumble and drove for the game-winning touchdown.
Before the Illinois game, George had carried the ball 25 times and scored five touchdowns, but he had only 12 more rushing attempts and no more touchdowns for the rest of the year. The following season, George was listed in the depth chart as the team's third-string running back, behindRaymont Harris. George carried the ball just 42 times, mostly when Ohio State had a large lead late in games, but showed his potential by averaging 5.3 yards per carry. As a junior, George became the team's starting running back and went on to rush for 1,442 yards and 12 touchdowns.
As a senior in 1995, George rushed for a school-record 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns, an average of 148.23 yards per game, while also catching 47 passes for 417 yards and another touchdown (George only caught 16 passes in his first three seasons). That season, he co-led the nation with 23 rushing touchdowns and led the nation in scoring with 150 points.[5] One of his best performances of the year was in a 45–26 victory overNotre Dame, where George rushed for 207 yards, his third 200-yard game of the season. George also rushed for a school-record 314 yards and scored three touchdowns in OSU's victory overIllinois.
In the three years after his two fumbles as a freshman, George had over 600 rushing attempts and fumbled only six times. Ohio State finished the season with an 11–2 record. He was recognized as aunanimous All-American. George won theHeisman Trophy in the closest vote in the history of the award at the time, beatingNebraska'sTommie Frazier by 264 votes. George left Ohio State second in school history in career rushing yards (3,768) and third in rushing touchdowns (44). Overall, he finished with 4,284 all-purpose yards, 45 touchdowns, and a 5.5 yards per carry average.
| Season | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | |||
| 1992 | Ohio State | 11 | 37 | 176 | 4.8 | 5 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | Ohio State | 12 | 42 | 223 | 5.3 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | Ohio State | 13 | 276 | 1,442 | 5.2 | 12 | 16 | 117 | 0 |
| 1995 | Ohio State | 13 | 328 | 1,927 | 5.9 | 24 | 47 | 417 | 1 |
| Career | 49 | 683 | 3,768 | 5.5 | 44 | 63 | 534 | 1 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft2+5⁄8 in (1.90 m) | 238 lb (108 kg) | 33+1⁄4 in (0.84 m) | 10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) | |||||||||
| All values fromNFL Combine[6] | ||||||||||||
George was a first-round draft selection (14th overall pick) for theHouston Oilers in the 1996 NFL Draft, being selected afterJerome Bettis elected to be traded to therivalPittsburgh Steelers over the Oilers when theSt. Louis Rams replaced Bettis withLawrence Phillips.[7][8] George won theNFL Rookie of the Year award in 1996, and was the Oilers/Titans' startingtailback through 2003, never missing a start. He made thePro Bowl four consecutive years (1997–2000), and assisted the Titans to a championship appearance inSuper Bowl XXXIV, where they lost to theSt. Louis Rams 23–16. George gained 391 combined rushing and receiving yards in the Titans' three playoff games that year, and went on to rush for 95 yards, catching two passes for 35 yards, and scoring two touchdowns in the Super Bowl.
George is only the second NFL running back to rush for 10,000 yards while never missing a start, joiningJim Brown. OnlyWalter Payton (170) started moreconsecutive regular-season games than George's 130.[9]
Although George rushed for 1,000 yards in all but one season, numerous sportswriters suggested that a heavy workload caused a decline in his productivity. In five of his eight seasons with the Titans, George carried the ball over 330 times. In 2001, George averaged just 2.98 per carry, the fourth-lowest number in league history among running backs with more than 200 rushing attempts in a season.[10] His decline in production and several toe and ankle injuries were contributing factors in Titans' ownerBud Adams' decision to release George on July 21, 2004, in part due tosalary cap considerations, after he would not agree to a pay cut.[11]
On July 23, 2004, George signed a one-year contract with theDallas Cowboys for $1.5 million, plus incentives that could have earned him more than the $4.25 million he would have made under his previous contract with the Titans.[12] George only started eight games while rookieJulius Jones was out for two months with a fracturedscapula. George became the backup running back when Jones returned midway through the season, finishing with 432 yards on 132 carries and four touchdowns.
George officially announced his retirement in 2006. His career totals include 2,865 carries for 10,441 yards and 68 touchdowns to go along with 268 receptions for 2,227 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In 2019, George had his number 27 jersey number retired by the Titans, along with his former teammateSteve McNair’s number 9 jersey.[13] In 2021, George became a semifinalist (of the 26-person modern-era list) for thePro Football Hall of Fame, the first time he had made the stage since he was eligible.[14]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1996 | HOU | 16 | 16 | 335 | 1,368 | 4.1 | 76 | 8 | 23 | 182 | 7.9 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1997 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 357 | 1,399 | 3.9 | 30 | 6 | 7 | 44 | 6.3 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 1998 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 348 | 1,294 | 3.7 | 37T | 5 | 37 | 310 | 8.4 | 29 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| 1999 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 320 | 1,304 | 4.1 | 40 | 9 | 47 | 458 | 9.7 | 54T | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 2000 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 403 | 1,509 | 3.7 | 35T | 14 | 50 | 453 | 9.1 | 24 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| 2001 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 315 | 939 | 3.0 | 27 | 5 | 37 | 279 | 7.5 | 25 | 0 | 8 | 6 |
| 2002 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 343 | 1,165 | 3.4 | 35 | 12 | 36 | 255 | 7.1 | 14T | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 312 | 1,031 | 3.3 | 27 | 5 | 22 | 163 | 7.4 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 | DAL | 13 | 8 | 132 | 432 | 3.3 | 24 | 4 | 9 | 83 | 9.2 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Career | 141 | 136 | 2,865 | 10,441 | 3.6 | 76 | 68 | 268 | 2,227 | 8.3 | 54T | 10 | 37 | 21 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1999 | TEN | 4 | 4 | 108 | 449 | 4.2 | 68T | 3 | 10 | 72 | 7.2 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2000 | TEN | 1 | 1 | 27 | 91 | 3.4 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 52 | 6.5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | TEN | 2 | 2 | 30 | 100 | 3.3 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2003 | TEN | 2 | 2 | 41 | 136 | 3.3 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 4.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 9 | 9 | 206 | 776 | 3.8 | 68T | 5 | 23 | 149 | 6.5 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 4 | |
As of the 2017 NFL off-season, George still held at least 28 Titans franchise records, including:
George was named the head coach atTennessee State on April 13, 2021.[19] He signed a five-year deal that paid $400,000 annually.[20] In 2024, his fourth year as Tennessee State head coach, George was namedBig South–OVC Coach of the Year.[21]
In 2025, George was hired as the head coach ofBowling Green State University in theMid-American Conference.[22]
On October 11, 2025, Eddie George’s Falcons came back from down 21-0 in the second quarter to defeat Toledo, 28-23, giving George a 1-0 record in the Battle of I-75 rivalry series.
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee State Tigers(Ohio Valley Conference)(2021–2022) | |||||||||
| 2021 | Tennessee State | 5–6 | 3–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 2022 | Tennessee State | 4–7 | 2–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| Tennessee State Tigers(Big South–OVC Football Association)(2023–2024) | |||||||||
| 2023 | Tennessee State | 6–5 | 2–4 | T–6th | |||||
| 2024 | Tennessee State | 9–4 | 6–2 | T–1st | LNCAA Division I First Round | ||||
| Tennessee State: | 24–22 | 13–12 | |||||||
| Bowling Green Falcons(Mid-American Conference)(2025–present) | |||||||||
| 2025 | Bowling Green | 3–8 | 1–6 | ||||||
| Bowling Green: | 3–8 | 1–6 | |||||||
| Total: | 27–30 | ||||||||
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On October 1, 2006, George was appointed spokesperson for Tennessee's GetFitTN program by GovernorPhil Bredesen. The initiative is aimed at preventingtype 2 diabetes and promotion of healthier, more active lifestyles. On Saturday, April 28, 2007, George ran the Country Music Half Marathon (ending just outside then LP Field, now Nissan Stadium) in an unofficial time of 2:04:08. He wore race number 27 during the race, just as he wore number 27 during his college and NFL careers. George later stated that completing the race was tougher than playing in the NFL.
In 2008, George campaigned forSenatorBarack Obama'spresidential bid.[23]
After retiring from football, George went back to complete his bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from Ohio State. George later graduated from the Kellogg School of Management atNorthwestern University, earning his MBA degree from its Executive MBA program.[24]
In 2004, George married American singer, rapper, actress, and authorTamara "Taj" Johnson. She is best known for being a part of the groupSWV (Sisters with Voices) and later being a contestant on the18th season of the CBS reality showSurvivor. On the 12th episode, "The Ultimate Sacrifice", George surprised his wife by visiting her on Exile Island. His other thespian credits include performances onBroadway and in film.
In 2016-2017, George played himself, albeit in a story line where this Eddie George version was a former NFL star who'd lost millions of dollars in a real estate deal, in two episodes of theHBO seriesBallers.[25]
George's jersey was retired by the Titans during a halftime ceremony against theIndianapolis Colts on September 15, 2019, along with former teammateSteve McNair, who was killed in 2009.[26]
| International | |
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| National | |
