When Eddie George decided four years ago to become a college head coach, his friends were not surprised.
Since his NFL retirement in 2005, he has shown the same type of versatility in business and entertainment that he did as a running back at Ohio State and later for nine seasons in the league.
The 51-year-old entrepreneur founded the Edward George Wealth Management Group as well as a landscape architecture and design firm called EDGE. He has served as a sports commentator and motivational speaker. George returned to Ohio State to obtain his bachelor’s degree and then proceeded to enroll at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and earned an MBA degree. He has been an adjunct professor at both Ohio State and Vanderbilt University. His 13-year acting career (did we not mention that?) took him to New York in 2017 where he co-starred in the long running musical “Chicago” on the Broadway stage.
Yes, George has been busy since his playing days. In 2021, he decided to help elevate the football program at Tennessee State University and signed on as head coach. The school’s campus is in Nashville where George starred for many years with the hometown Titans in the ’90s. Last season, he was named Coach of the Year in the Ohio Valley Conference and led the team to its first playoff berth in 11 seasons.
After interviewing for the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy two months ago, George decided to stay on the college level and return to Ohio where he had been such a popular figure during his days as a Buckeye. Earlier this month, he accepted the head coaching position at Bowling Green University, just 20 miles south of Toledo. He was encouraged to take the job by Toledo native Urban Meyer, who held the same post there in 2001-02.
“I wouldn’t say its great timing in terms of the football calendar,” George admits “but when I took over Tennessee State it was even later in the spring. The goal now is to get ready for the season opener in late August. It’s going to take diligence for us to be focused and operate with a great attitude. I’m not here to blow up BG’s successful program. I’m here to enhance it.”
Bowling Green’s Athletic Director Derek van der Merwe has no doubt that George will do exactly that in his new role.
“After meeting with Eddie,” van der Merwe says, “it became very clear to me that he checked every aspect of the profile we had in mind for our next coach. He is someone who cares about people, values, personal growth and development, defines himself by his ability to adapt, adjust and have success in every aspect of his life.”
We at NFL Alumni are pleased that our brother Eddie George continues to develop in every aspect of that life. The 1995 Heisman Trophy Award winner also has won many other accolades in his various careers. We are certain he will be successful as well in his newest opportunity back in Ohio.
