The Oakland Raiders released six players Monday. Yet, it was the one they signed who garnered the most attention. Yes, folks, quarterback Jeff George is back with the Raiders after spending the past seven seasons bouncing around the NFL.
George, 38, passed his physical Monday morning, signed a contract and participated in practice soon thereafter. Once again, he donned the No. 3 uniform and wowed onlookers with his arm strength and an uncanny ability to make throws others can only dream of.
"Jeff has been on our mind for quite a while now," Raiders coach Art Shell said. "We feel that it's time to take a look at somebody to make sure we insure ourselves, to protect our football team, in case something happens. It's a precautionary thing."
George hasn't played in an NFL regular-season game since he started two games for Washington in 2001. The Redskins were outscored 67-3 in those games. He was cut after the second game.
Then-Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer told ESPN afterward that, "The bottom line is, I did not think the Washington Redskins could win with Jeff George as our quarterback." Coincidentally, the Raiders play Schottenheimer's San Diego Chargers in their regular-season opener Sept. 11.
Aaron Brooks is the projected starter for the Raiders this season. It remains unclear what George's role would be with the team if he makes it past the second and final roster cutdown Sunday.
"(Shell) just said, 'Hey, come in here and be yourself, come out here and throw the ball like we know you can, and just do what we tell you to do,'" George said Shell told him Sunday. "And that's all I wanted, whether they put me fourth-, third-string, second-string, whatever I have to do. I keep saying, I'm just thankful to be back in the league and given the opportunity to prove that I belong."
George was signed as an emergency measure in light of backup Andrew Walter experiencing soreness in his right (throwing) shoulder this past week, a person in the front office said.
Walter did not play in Oakland's exhibition victory over the Detroit Lions on Friday as a precautionary measure. An MRI revealed "no structural damage," according to Shell.
Walter on Monday said that his arm feels fine.
"I'm good," Walter said before practice. "Should be good this week.
Practice today and everything should be good." Shell said Walter was watched closely in practice Monday to gauge his progress in fighting off the bursitis and tendinitis that has plagued his shoulder in recent days. Walter sustained an injury to the same shoulder his senior season at Arizona State. The injury required surgery.
George, 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, started 23 games for the Raiders in 1997 and '98. During that time, he passed for 33 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions. He has started 124 games in a career that began with the Indianapolis Colts in 1990 as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. He has 154 touchdowns and 113 interceptions overall.
The Raiders parted ways with George after the 1998 season and signed Rich Gannon as his replacement.
George's best season came in 1997, when he passed for 29 TDs and just nine interceptions. His touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio led the league. Still, the Raiders finished 4-12.
George spent 1999 with the Minnesota Vikings before joining the Redskins in 2000. He didn't play in any games for the Seattle Seahawks in 2002-03 or the Chicago Bears in 2004-05. He was listed as inactive for five games in '04 and nine in '02.
George has a career won-loss record of 47-80, including a 1-2 mark in postseason games, and a career passer rating of 80.4.
