Jeff George – 1999
It’s pretty easy to understand what the Minnesota Vikings liked about Jeff George. The former Indianapolis quarterback was throwing the ball extremely well and the team thought they could get a passer to hold down ship until Daunte Culpepper was ready to roll.
George had led the NFL in passing yards in 1997, throwing for 3.917 yards with the Raiders and racking up an impressive 29 touchdowns to only nine interceptions. However, he had been bouncing around the league landing in Minnesota to make the Vikings his fourth team in 10 NFL seasons.
George covered well for Minnesota, playing 12 games and starting ten of those. During that time, he threw for 2,816 yards to go with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on the way to eight wins and only two losses as a starter.
Although Culpepper would go on to be a much more recognizable and celebrated quarterback by Minnesota Vikings fans, George should be celebrated for helping the team in the 1999 season before moving on to Washington as a free agent.