The 1990 Jeff George Trade: Atlanta Sold the No. 1 Pick for Two Proven Stars and Another First
Indianapolis moved to No. 1 for Jeff George by sending Atlanta Andre Rison, Chris Hinton, a fifth-rounder and a 1991 first. The Falcons received immediate proven talent.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Chris Hinton
- player Andre Rison
- pick 1990 fifth round pick (#121-Reggie Redding)
- pick 1991 first round pick (#13-Mike Pritchard)
Indianapolis Colts Received
- pick 1990 first round pick (#1-Jeff George (Scott))
- pick 1990 fourth round pick (#83-Stacey Simmons)
- pick 1991 conditional pick (second round if Colts 1991 first round pick sent to Falcons is #1-4, third round if pick is #5-12) (not exercised)
Trade Summary
Atlanta turned the No. 1 overall pick into Chris Hinton, Andre Rison, a fifth-round pick, and a future first-rounder that became Mike Pritchard. Indianapolis used the pick on Jeff George, whose arm talent never produced the franchise-changing quarterback outcome the Colts needed. The Falcons received multiple useful building blocks, including a star receiver, while Indianapolis absorbed the cost and instability of a miss at the top of the draft.
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
Indianapolis acquired the first overall pick in the 1990 draft from Atlanta and used it on Illinois quarterback Jeff George. The Colts sent the Falcons wide receiver Andre Rison, offensive tackle Chris Hinton, a 1990 fifth-round pick and their 1991 first-round selection. Atlanta also sent a fourth-round pick back to Indianapolis.
Why the Colts Made the Swing
George was a local star with rare arm talent, and Indianapolis believed a franchise quarterback could justify the enormous package. The logic was familiar: if the evaluation proved correct, the cost of veteran talent and future draft capital would become secondary to finally securing the sport's most important position.
The evaluation did not deliver the needed return. George showed NFL-level ability but never developed into the stable long-term answer Indianapolis was paying to obtain. The Colts later traded him after four seasons.
What Atlanta Received Immediately
The Falcons did not have to wait for every draft pick to mature. Hinton was already an established Pro Bowl offensive lineman, while Rison was coming off a strong rookie season. In Atlanta, Rison developed into one of the league's most productive receivers and earned repeated Pro Bowl recognition.
The future first-rounder became Mike Pritchard, adding another useful receiver to the return. Atlanta therefore converted the No. 1 pick into multiple starting-caliber pieces rather than relying on a single prospect.
Why Proven Talent Matters Here
Draft-pick trades often look favorable only after years of downstream maneuvering. This one was different. Atlanta received two players whose NFL ability was already known, then added another first-round opportunity. That reduced the uncertainty normally associated with trading away the top selection.
Indianapolis accepted the opposite risk profile: it concentrated several valuable assets into one quarterback evaluation.
Final Verdict
Atlanta wins decisively. The Colts were correct that quarterback can justify aggressive spending, but George did not become the franchise-changing player required by the price. The Falcons received Rison, Hinton and another first-round pick, creating far more cumulative value than Indianapolis realized from the move to No. 1.