A Nashville TV station reported on Monday that Titans' stars Eddie George and Steve McNair had been traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.

April Fool's!

According to The Tennessean, WTVF-5 sports director Hope Hines led Monday's sports report during the 6 p.m. newscast with a bogus report that George and McNair had been traded to the Bengals for All-Pro running back Corey Dillon and two draft picks, including the top pick in this month's draft.

The TV report featured a staged interview with Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who said he was "still in shock" and "we traded our franchise away."

At the end of the report Fisher looked into the camera and said "April Fool's."

The story was not repeated on the evening newscast, according to The Tennessean. The story certainly seemed real to the fans, however. Hines' voice mail was flooded, and the Tennessean reported they received 20 calls from fans wanting to know details of the trade.

''Jeff Fisher really sold the story. He is a brilliant actor,'' Hines told the newspaper.

Hines told The Tennessean he contacted Titans director of media relations Robbie Bohren on Monday to see if Fisher would agree to participate in the April Fool's joke.

''I was kind of surprised that Jeff agreed to do it, but he really embellished the story. If was his idea to throw Eddie into the trade,'' Hines told The Tennessean.

Both players -- and the whole organization, for that matter -- were aware of the April Fool's joke before the newscast took place.