Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
July 23, 2004, 11:03 a.m. (CDT)

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys were prepared to enter training camp with only three healthy running backs, who had a total of 358 rushing yards.

Now the Cowboys can add more than 10,000 yards to that total, with the signing of Eddie George, an eight-year veteran who gives immediate experience and credibility to the position.

Now George certainly won't be the team's long-term answer, signing just a one-year deal, reportedly worth $2.2 million. The veteran back is expected to receive a $1.54 million bonus to report to training camp, along with his $660,000 minimum base salary.

And signing George doesn't diminish the Cowboys' faith in rookie Julius Jones, the second-round pick from Notre Dame. Jones will likely get plenty of opportunities to prove himself, only now the Cowboys have more of a fallback in George.

Before this signing, the Cowboys had just Aveion Cason and ReShard Lee to back up Jones, now that Erik Bickerstaff is out for the season after rupturing his Achilles last month.

George, who was released by the Tennessee Titans Wednesday for salary cap reasons, still thinks he has a few years left in the tank. And while that has yet to be determined, the Cowboys are in a position, both financially and from a roster need standpoint, to take a close look.

And why not take a chance on a running back who just surpassed the 10,000-yard rushing mark in just eight seasons?

George, who turns 31 Sept. 13, rejected the Titans' attempts to reduce his base salary to $1.5 million. George was willing to accept a reduced contract, but wanted at least $2.5 million in base and security beyond the 2004 season.

Quickly after releasing George, the Titans agreed to a one-year deal with free agent running back Antowain Smith, who helped the Patriots win a Super Bowl last season. Smith, a player the Cowboys were keeping an eye on, signed for just $660,000 with the Titans and is expected to compete for carries with both Chris Brown and third-down back Robert Holcombe.

George, who actually started his career in Texas when the Titans were the Houston Oilers, is the franchise's all-time leading rusher. He is also the only running back in NFL history to record more than 300 carries in each of his first eight seasons. While his foot has been a concern the past two years, George has never missed a game in his entire career.

The former Heisman Trophy winner (1995) out of Ohio State, George has earned four trips to the Pro Bowl, but none since 2000.

George averaged just 3.3 yards per carry last year, the second-lowest average of his career (3.0 yards in 2001). His longest rush from scrimmage was only 27 yards.

But despite his numbers being on the decline, the Cowboys, especially with Bill Parcells in charge, might be a good spot for George to land. Parcells has a history of squeezing life out of aging backs, as he did with Ottis Anderson, who joined the Giants when he turned 29 back in 1986. While Anderson was more of a role player for his first two years with the club, Anderson rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and had 33 rushing touchdowns in a three-year span, including 1,023 yards and a career-high 14 touchdowns in 1989 at the ripe age of 32.

Parcells also milked production out of Keith Byars with both the Patriots and Jets in the mid-1990's. Byars played two seasons in New England and then finished his career with the Jets at age 35. That season he caught 26 passes as a third-down back and scored three touchdowns.

And before the Cowboys signed George, don't forget Parcells was willing to let the 32-year-old Anderson get a few more carries.

So signing George makes sense for the Cowboys, who have plenty of salary-cap room available. Also, they have the need to add another back.

Especially one with more than 10,000 career rushing yards on his resume.


to listein to the press confernce go to http://www.nfl.com/partners/aol?http://www.nfl.com/
and click on the dallas star

thank you.finally a running back bigthanks

My thoughts exactly. bigthanks

Q & A With Eddie George


Erin Bolen
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
July 23, 2004, 6:33 p.m. (CDT)

IRVING, Texas -- Here are some of the highlights of Eddie George's press conference after signing a one-year deal with the Cowboys Friday afternoon at Valley Ranch:

What was it that sparked your interest in the Dallas over the past few weeks?

GEORGE: A few days actually. I guess it was Bill Parcells. I talked to a few of the veteran players that he's coached through the years, and they feel like he's a great coach and they love to play for him. I felt like Dallas was a team that's under the radar with a lot of great talent, a team that made the playoffs last year and when you get that taste of success, coming in that next off-season you're going to work that much harder and you're going to make a lot of improvements. This is a team up on the rise. You know, there were a lot of opportunities out there to look at Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, but Dallas is committed to the run, and I think I can help with that. Bill Parcells, his track record, he always has a winning tradition. He's taken teams that were tinkering with success and mediocrity and made them into champions. I talked to a few of the veteran players that he's coached through the years, and they feel like he's a great coach and they love to play for him

You'll see a lot of the NFC East. What are your thoughts on switching from a diet of AFC teams to the NFC East?

GEORGE: I mean, that's going to be different. Growing up in Philadelphia, that's what I was used to watching on TV, being an Eagles fan. It's going to be quite a change, and I'm just going to come in here with an open mind and an open heart and see how it goes. I'm not going to put any added pressure on myself to prove anything. I'm just going to go out and do my job and try to help this team be successful.

People have said that the reason Tennessee was looking to cut your salary was because they weren't sure how much you had left. How much do you think you have left in the tank?

GEORGE: I think I have plenty left. I think the situation in Tennessee was one that changed from a run-oriented offense to a passing attack, which pretty much means I didn't get a lot of the touches I had in the past, and I think that's helping me out a lot right now. It was a good situation for me not to take on much of the load, and I'm not looking to try and carry the ball 45 times here. I'm looking to be the power back that I can be, looking to add to the Dallas attack and running up the yards just like I always have.

You're coming into a team that took a running back with its first pick in the draft. What's Bill told you about your role with this team?



GEORGE: He says that I'm going to come in here and compete, and I respect that. I don't know too much about Julius Jones, I'm sure he's a great running back, a lot of potential. I just look forward to mentoring him, teaching him some things that I learned throughout my NFL career.

Did you have any doubts about Coach Parcells' interest in you?

GEORGE: Really, no I didn't. I had never talked to him before, other than yesterday. My main focus was purely on the situation in Tennessee at the time, so I never really looked at the Dallas situation until it was final.

Any lingering problems with the toe? What's your health like right now?

GEORGE: My health is fine. No problems with my foot. My toe surgery was done a few years ago, and I haven't had a relapse or had to go back through surgery, and it's not arthritic. It's something that's been done. I'm over the injury and I'm ready to do.



What does that consecutive games started streak mean to you?

GEORGE: It means that I just love to play the game with passion. I just love to play. Even when I'm hurt or not feeling well, I show up to work. I think that streak means a lot to me, and I look to try to continue that here.

Was there an opportunity for you to play with Tennessee for something around the contract that you just signed here?

GEORGE: No, because the way it was structured there, it was $1.5 million for the year, whereas I see that today plus a base salary. So it's a little bit more money here, but that's not the issue. I think the issue with the situation back there was more of a principal issue. It's a little disappointing the way it ended, but we both have to move on.

How odd has the emotional ride of the last 48 hours been for you?

GEORGE: It's been very odd. Change is inevitable; it comes in different ways and right now I'm just at a transition point and an adjustment period. I think the organization is doing everything they can to make me feel comfortable as soon as possible. It's been difficult, emotional because I spent all my years with Tennessee. We went through a lot together. They watched me grow into a man. It's difficult but I have to go through it.



Was there anything in your conversation with Bill Parcells when you just decided 'Okay, Dallas is where I want to be'?

GEORGE: Well, the situation - I looked at it hard. Really, Dallas was the first team to step up and show interest. And with that, it wasn't about the game plan or we'll see at a later date or we don't know that. They stepped up, and when a team does that, they want to use you, they want you to be part of your team, and that's what made me excited about this opportunity.

Was it important to go to a team where they provide a fullback?

GEORGE: It wasn't so much finding a fullback. I think it was just a philosophy where Parcells predicates everything off of the runs. That's not to say that he's just going to run all day. I just think it sets up a situation for a balanced attack. Like I said before, looking at Bill's record and what he's done at New England, the Giants and the Jets he's provided that in his first three years of being there. Hopefully I can be a part of that here in Dallas.

You mentioned that you talked to some veteran guys who played for Parcells. Can you tell us you they were and what they said?

GEORGE: Terry Glenn was one. I talked to Keyshawn a couple of times. Marcellus Wiley. They all said they felt good about the situation in coming to Dallas, it was a professional organization. It's an honor to be a part of a winning tradition, coming from Tennessee, and I just look forward to the new change. I look forward to what's in store.