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Tennessee running back Eddie George walked off the field holding up the football in his right hand. Steve McNair was the first off the sideline to congratulate him with a hug.
George had just become the 17th player in NFL history with 10,000 yards rushing in his career. He came into Sunday's game against Tampa Bay needing 78 yards, and he finished with 26 carries for 87 yards.
``Saying you need
78 yards against Tampa Bay, you know, Wow, you've got a tough task,'' George
said with a big smile. ``Thank God that I got it.''
The eight-year veteran rushed for more than 78 yards only four times this season
before Sunday in an offense now centered on McNair and the passing game. But
McNair didn't play Sunday as the Titans rested him for the playoffs, so the
Titans kept giving the ball to George.
George, who also caught four passes for 45 yards, topped 1,000 yards rushing this season for the seventh time in his career with a carry on their first possession of the third quarter. He needed 2 yards to reach 10,000 in the fourth quarter when he came through with a 4-yard carry, putting him at 80 for the game.
``People would tell me I was 5 yards away. I was like, `Please, don't tell me' because you tend to get overanxious, and you just want to get it over with,'' George said. ``The offensive line, I think they've earned it more than me.''
George picked up 7 more yards on his next carry, then walked off to a standing ovation and congratulations from McNair and his other teammates.
The other active running backs already over 10,000 yards rushing include Emmitt Smith, Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin and Marshall Faulk. Titans coach Jeff Fisher pointed out that George, who has never missed a start in his career and currently has started 128 consecutive games, is in an even more exclusive group.
``We saw him be the first back since Jim Brown to gain 10,000 yards without missing a game, which is quite an accomplishment for Eddie,'' Fisher said.
George, the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner, said players always know what goals are possible at their positions and that he was very familiar with the group of running backs he joined.
``I'm just so blessed and
honored to be within that group,'' he said. ``To play every game of my career
and achieve that goal is something I'm very proud of.''