The last time Jeff George was relevant, I was a freshman in college, and McGwire and Sosa were setting Steroid-aided history.
Despite having not started more than five games in a year since his "magical" 1999 season in Minnesota, perhaps George thinks he's the guy to end the ugly free fall in Indy. At the very least, according to Sam Farmer of the LA Times, George is confident he can pick up the offense.
Odds aren't good George will suit up at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Colts Week 3 showdown with the Steelers, or any other stadium in any week, but the NFL seems to have come full-circle; the Colts were 8-8 the season before drafting Jeff George out of Illinois. They even traded up to the top spot to take the local product, the same guy who, four years later, would be making obscene gestures toward hometown fans.
No one ever questioned George's arm strength. It was his attitude and questionable leadership skills that brought him so much controversy.
He and former Colts coach Ted Marchibroda had it out during their time in Indianapolis. He got into it with June Jones in Atlanta. He and Denny Green were said to have had their problems behind closed doors in Minnesota. He clashed with Marty Schottenheimer in Washington, and was jettisoned two games into the 2001 season. After brief stints with Chicago, Seattle and Oakland (twice), George never officially retired.
It's almost like a season can't really be considered "official" until George shows up somewhere saying he can still play. It can't get much worse in Indy, can it?