Tennessee Titans Throwback Thursday: Eddie George exemplified greatness

Continuing to rewind through the history of the Tennessee Titans, we look back at one of the best to ever take the field in Nashville, Eddie George.

Eddie George, the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner out of Ohio State, was selected 14th overall in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He was the 1996 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after he tallied 1,368 yards and eight touchdowns. The following season, the Oilers moved the Nashville to become the Tennessee Titans, George continuing to lead the way.

And did he ever. Throughout his career, the four-time Pro Bowler amassed 10,441 career rushing yards and 68 touchdowns over his eight seasons with the Titans/Oilers and one in Dallas. Along the way, George also amassed 1,200 or more rushing yards in each of his first five NFL seasons.

Perhaps more important than his individual success, George was an integral part of the 1999 AFC Championship team that famously came up one yard short of tying Super Bowl XXXIV against the Rams on the final play of the game. And not for nothing, Eddie George was also the first NFL player featured on the cover of the Madden video game as John Madden himself had only been on the cover previously.

There’s no escaping George’s importance to the Tennessee Titans and the NFL at large. But as we look back, George’s greatness was simply undeniable.

Heated battles, mutual respect and friendship

Baltimore Ravens Hall-of-Fame linebacker, Ray Lewis, and Eddie George had many battles throughout their careers. Lewis won some and George won some. Lewis has said since that George and Jerome Bettis were some of his toughest battles on the field.

But while they were fierce rivals on the field, Lewis and George have become close friends since their retirement — even more so after the death of former teammate Steve McNair, who played for the Ravens after he left the Titans.

Once a Titan, always a Titan

Although he spent his final NFL season with the Cowboys, George will always be remembered as a Titan. In the 2019 season, the Titans retired the numbers of both George and, fittingly, McNair. One final time, the Tennessee faithful gave him a round of “Eddie! Eddie!” chants just as they did when he was on the field.

George is also credited with “lighting a fire” under current Titans running back Derrick Henry, who went on one of the most remarkable late-season/playoff runs we’ve ever seen. Last season, when the running back wasn’t being productive the first half of last season, George called him out for giving up on runs. Apparently it worked. Since then, Henry has been arguably the best running back in the league.

In addition to motivating Henry, George also looked to motivate the Titans and the fan base at large, starring in a playoff hype video for Tennessee’s 2020 postseason run:

You can’t mention the Oilers and Titans without mentioning the stars they’ve had at running back, from Henry now to Chris Johnson previously to all the way back with Earl Campbell. And in that vein, you also can’t mention the Titans and their running backs without Eddie George.