The reason is primarly due to financial considerations. George would cost approximately $4 million to re-sign with the team.

This year George was under a one-year contract worth $400,000 plus incentives, and if the team let go of quarterback Randall Cunningham it will take an approximate $3.5 mllion salary-cap hit.

George and his agent disputed the report in an Associated Press story Friday.

"It's news to me," said George, who led the Vikings to the playoffs after taking over as starting quarterback in Week 6.

"There have been no discussions on Jeff George," his agent, Leigh Steinberg, told the AP. "I'm sure that eventually, we'll work out an acceptable deal, and Jeff will return to the Vikings."

Vikings spokesman Bob Hagan told The Associated Press that the team had no comment. Head coach Dennis Green told WCCO-TV the report was erroneous, although he left room for any scenario.

"We have until Feb. 10 until anyone is an unrestricted free agent," Green said. "We don't tip our hand. A lot of things have to take place."

Twin Cities TV station KSTP reported Friday that negotiations on a new contract had broken down. According to KSTP-TV's report, "each party put a dollar amount on the table" on what was needed to keep George at Minnesota. The amounts were not close, KSTP said.

But George, in comments to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press posted on the paper's Internet site Friday night, said he was in the dark about any decision.

"I don't know anything about that. I hope I'm back there," he said.

Steinberg echoed George's sentiments.

"Jeff has made it perfectly clear that he loves playing for the Vikings and very much wants to return," his agent said. "He's got one of the greatest receiving corps in the league, a tremendous offensive line, a great coach, he's from the Midwest. It's a perfect situation for him."

Green turned to George after demoting Cunningham in the second half of the game against Detroit.

George, 32, who came to the Vikings as backup, pulled the Vikings from a 2-4 hole, leading the team to the playoffs that ended with the 49-37 loss to St. Louis last Sunday.

After the Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs, receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss began lobbying hard for the salary cap-crunched team to keep George, who was 9-3 as the starter.

"We'd have something special," said Carter, who caught half of George's 28 touchdown passes. "I'll be pulling for him. They know how I feel about the situation."

Moss concurred: "Being wise, if it was my choice, I'd keep him. ... I would like to have him play as our quarterback for the next couple years."

George's checkered 10-year career was marked by run-ins with teammates and coaches in Indianapolis, Atlanta and Oakland, but his talents were a perfect fit in Minnesota's prolific pass-oriented offense.

Although neither side wanted to negotiate before the season ended, George said Sunday that he hoped he had found a home with the Vikings.

"I hope to be a part of this organization," he said after the loss to the Rams. "I know it's a business and a lot of it is out of your control. But I'd like for it to work out."

Without George in the picture, Cunningham and Daunte Culpepper will compete for the starting job in training camp.

League sources also told Kremer that Vikings executive vice president and general manager Tim Connolly is expected to leave the team. An announcment on Connolly could happen next week.