50 greatest NFL players of all-time
60. . Quarterback. 1961-78. Fran Tarkenton. 50. player
Easily one of the most underrated players in NFL history, Fran Tarkenton rarely gets mentioned as one of the top quarterbacks of all-time. Heck, you often have a hard time finding him on Top 10 lists. Well, I’m here to tell you that he’s more than worthy of the recognition.
Put simply, Tarkenton was a pioneer. He revolutionized the quarterback position by bringing a bit of flair to it. No longer was being a gunslinger solely about tossing the pigskin downfield. The Minnesota Vikings’ first star quarterback made a living off of his ability to scramble, evading defenders at every turn and creating big plays in the process.
Essentially, he was the Russell Wilson of the 1960s and 1970s.
As a result, Tarkenton was selected to nine Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams during his 18 years in the league. His best year though, came in 1975, when he won the NFL MVP award. On top of all that, Tarkenton took the Vikings to four Super Bowls, although all resulted in losses.
When Tarkenton was done, he owned the NFL records for pass attempts, completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, rushing yards by a quarterback and wins by a quarterback. Not too shabby for a guy who rarely gets mentioned as one of the game’s all-time greats.