All-Time Colts QBs Ranked: Manning #1, Unitas #2

Jeff George

Retired 10 Years In The NFL
🏆 NFL passing yards leader (1997)
Jeff's
HAIR
8.6
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Jeff George or the Colts?

Jeff George Legacy

HEYTC AI
Jeff George was the quarterback equivalent of a loaded gun with a faulty safety—a generational arm talent with an arm "as good as Marino's" who somehow managed to self-destruct everywhere he landed. The first overall pick in 1990, he led the league in passing yards in 1997 and briefly looked redeemed with Minnesota in 1999, winning his only playoff game. But George's real legacy isn't measured in yards; it's the cautionary tale of a supremely gifted player whose combustible personality and clashes with coaches turned what should've been a Hall of Fame career into a seven-team journeyman act. Pure talent, perpetual chaos—the most talented quarterback who never became what he could've been.

Jeff George Rating Breakdown

Season
Subpar
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
Cooked
4 years with the Colts

Jeff George Career Stats via Wikipedia

27,602 Pass Yards
154 Touchdowns
113 INTs
0.0% Comp %
8.6 HAIR

Jeff George Career Timeline

HEYTC AI
2004 1

Failed NFL Comeback

George attempted a return with the 49ers but was cut in training camp; a brief UFL stint in 2009 fizzled too. proving the league had moved on from its original rocket-armed gunslinger.

2001 1

Bears Swan Song

Closed out his 14-year NFL run with the Chicago Bears, going 1-4 as a starter in relief of injured Shane Matthews; retired at 33 with 10,441 yards, 41 TDs, and a reputation as football's ultimate gunslinger nomad.

2000 1

Titans Backup Stint

George signed on as QB2 in Tennessee behind Steve McNair, appearing in 3 games with minimal impact before being waived midseason.

1999 1

Brief Colts Return

Washington cut George after one solid year; he returned to Indy as a free agent for 4 starts, but Peyton Manning's emergence ended that quickly.

1998 1

Signs with Commanders

Landed a 4-year pact with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders), reuniting with Norv Turner; he started 10 games, throwing for 2,891 yards but turnovers plagued the offense.

1997 1

Major Hip Injury

Suffered a devastating hip fracture in Week 4 against the Saints, sidelining him for the entire 1997 season and derailing his momentum after a solid '96 stint.

1996 1

Signs with Vikings

George jumped to Minnesota on a 4-year, $17 million free-agent deal to back up Warren Moon, but injuries and inconsistency limited him to spot duty in his lone Vikings season.

1994 2

Traded to Falcons

Butt heads with Raiders owner Al Davis again; George was dealt to the Atlanta Falcons for a future 1st-rounder, continuing his journeyman QB saga.

Pro Bowl Nod with Raiders

George earned his lone Pro Bowl selection, throwing for 3,843 yards and 23 TDs while leading the Raiders to an 8-8 record. his best stretch of pocket-passer brilliance.

1993 1

Traded to Raiders

After clashing with Colts coach Ted Marchibroda, George was shipped to the Los Angeles Raiders in a blockbuster trade for QB Jim Everett, marking the first of many team hops in his nomadic career.

1990 2

Signs Rookie Deal with Colts

George inked a 6-year, $15 million contract with the Colts, one of the richest for a rookie at the time, but his tenure got off to a rocky start amid offensive line woes and coaching friction.

Drafted by Colts

Jeff George was selected as the 1st overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts out of the University of Illinois, launching his pro career with sky-high expectations as a prototypical dropback passer.

10 years in the NFL

Frequently Asked Questions About Jeff George

How does Daniel Jones compare to Jeff George?

Jeff George lapped Daniel Jones in Colts lore—27,602 yards and 154 TDs over 12 journeyman seasons, while Jones is still grinding for relevance in Indy with a fraction of that volume. George's '97 Raiders explosion (league-high yards) showed arm talent Jones dreams of; one guy's a proven gunslinger across five teams, the other's chasing shadows in the dome.

Is Jeff George in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nah, Jeff George's not in Canton—his gunslinging flameout across five teams (Colts, Falcons, Raiders, Vikings, Skins) left him short on the gold jacket. Bounced for attitude issues despite playoff nods and a '97 yardage crown, he's more cautionary tale than Hall call, like a hotter-headed Dan Marino knockoff who couldn't stick.

What is Jeff George doing now in 2026?

In 2026, Jeff George's off the grid—no broadcasting gigs, no charity headlines, no business ventures popping up. The ex-Colts rocket arm from Warren Central's glory days seems happily retired since hanging 'em up in 2002, dodging the spotlight like a smart vet who knows when to pocket the ball and walk.

How would Jeff George perform in today's NFL?

George's cannon arm—peaking with 4,143 yards for playoff-bound Falcons—would feast in today's pass-happy NFL, where rules shield QBs like bubble wrap. Imagine his '97 Raiders deep bombs under no-foul flags; he'd pad 27k yards to 40k easy, though his pick-six habit might still haunt in a quicker pocket.

How does Jeff George compare to Peyton Manning?

Peyton Manning owned the Colts pocket while Jeff George rented it—Peyton's 55.59 career rating dwarfs George's 8.62 Indy mark (9,551 yards, 41 TDs, 46 INTs in 52 starts). Both Hoosier Dome guns, but Manning built empires; George was the fiery appetizer before the five-course feast.