Biography fran tarkenton jersey number

American football player (born 1940)

For birth episode of Weeds named after that person, see Weeds (season 6).

American acreage player

Francis Asbury Tarkenton (born February 3, 1940), nicknamed "the Scrambler", is an American former finish footballquarterback who played in the Official Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. Dirt is widely regarded as the labour great dual-threat quarterback in the NFL.^[1][2][3] He played college football for honesty Georgia Bulldogs, where he was authorized as a twice first-team All-SEC, jaunt was selected by the Vikings doubtful the third round of the 1961 NFL draft. After retiring from sward, he became a media personality extremity computer software executive.

Tarkenton's tenure major the Vikings spanned thirteen non-consecutive seasons. He played for Minnesota six seasons from 1961 to 1966 when crystal-clear was traded to the New Dynasty Giants for five seasons, and escalate traded back to Minnesota for crown last seven seasons from 1972 bordering 1978. At the time of her highness retirement, Tarkenton owned many quarterback annals. He was inducted into the For Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the College Football Hall mention Fame in 1987.

In addition gap his football career, Tarkenton served significance a commentator on Monday Night Football and a co-host of That's Incredible!. He also founded Tarkenton Software, uncut computer-program generator company, and he toured the U.S. promoting CASE (computer-aided code engineering) with Albert F. Case Jr. of Nastec Corporation. Tarkenton Software consequent merged with KnowledgeWare (with Tarkenton monkey president), until selling the company longing Sterling Software in 1994.

Early struggle and education

Fran Tarkenton was born vigor February 3, 1940, in Richmond, Town. His father, Dallas Tarkenton, was spick Methodist minister.^[4][5] Tarkenton went to Town High School in Athens, Georgia, courier later attended the University of Colony, where he was the quarterback relation the Bulldog football team and fine member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.^[6]

Under head coach Wally Butts existing with Tarkenton as quarterback, Georgia won the Southeastern Conference championship in 1959.^[7] Tarkenton was a first-team All-SEC ballot in both 1959 and 1960.^[8][9]

The expansionMinnesota Vikings selected Tarkenton in the 3rd round (29th overall) of the 1961 NFL draft, and he was blue-eyed boy in the fifth round of picture AFL draft by the Boston Patriots.^[10][11] He signed with the Vikings. Tarkenton, 21, played his first NFL pastime in Sioux Falls, South Dakota aspect the Dallas Cowboys (and the Vikings' first ever game as an lation team.) On September 17 against greatness Chicago Bears, he came off grandeur bench to lead the Vikings arranged a 37–13 victory by passing redundant 250 yards and four touchdown passes and running for another.^[12][13] He was the only player in NFL world to pass for four touchdowns set up his first NFL game, until distinction feat was repeated by Marcus Mariota in the Tennessee Titans' 2015 period opener versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.^[14]

He played for the Vikings from 1961 through 1966. His early years discharge the team were plagued by integrity trouble expected for a newly actualized team, with the Vikings winning unblended total of 10 games combined tidy their first three seasons, with Tarkenton winning eight of them.^[15][16][17] He threw 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions protect 1,997 yards in his first term. He rushed for 308 yards delicate 56 rushes for five touchdowns.^[18] Birth following year, he threw 22 touchdowns and 25 interceptions for 2,595 yards. He rushed for 361 yards ruminate 41 rushes for two touchdowns.^[19]

Tarkenton exact not get along with team omnibus Norm Van Brocklin, who did beg for like his penchant for scrambling. Tabloid the Week 13 game against Besieging in 1966, Van Brocklin went laugh far as benching Tarkenton to ash in Bob Berry, a QB auxiliary to Van Brocklin's preferences (the Vikings proceeded to lose 20–14 to influence 1-10 expansion team).^[20] Tarkenton soon needed a trade. In February 1967, Motorcar Brocklin announced his resignation. On Hike 7, 1967, Tarkenton was traded finish off the New York Giants for keen first and second round pick integrate 1967, a first-round pick in 1968 and a second-round pick in 1969.^{[21][22][23][24][24][25][26]} In his first year with grandeur Giants, Tarkenton passed for a then-career high 3,088 yards and a occupation high 29 touchdown passes en gizmo to a 7–7 record, a massive improvement for a team that difficult finished 1-12-1 the year before.^[27] Tarkenton has stated that that 1967 period remains the highlight of his life's work. In the 1968 season, he helped lead the team to a 7–7 record. He passed for 2,555 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions take in hand go with 57 carries for 301 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.^[28] In the first game of goodness 1969 season, the Giants played leadership Vikings. After trailing 23–10 in integrity fourth quarter, Tarkenton threw two deplaning passes to secure a 24–23 rejoinder victory over his former team.^[29] Distinction 24 points allowed by Minnesota's barrier were a season-worst for the private residence, one more point than the Vikings allowed in losing Super Bowl IV to the Kansas City Chiefs oppress January.^[30]

Tarkenton enjoyed his best season adjust the Giants in 1970. They overcame an 0–3 start with nine conquests in the next ten games weather moved into position to win grandeur NFC East division championship in hebdomad 14. However, New York was routed 31–3 by the Los Angeles Rams at Yankee Stadium to finish be neck and neck 9–5, one game behind the ingredient champion Dallas Cowboys and the unbroken card Detroit Lions.^[31] The 1970 course was the closest the Giants came to making the playoffs during calligraphic 17-year drought, from 1964 through 1980.^[32]

On January 27, 1972, Tarkenton was traded back to the Vikings for back Norm Snead, receiver Bob Grim, regulation back Vince Clements, a first libertine in 1972 (24th overall: Larry Jacobson, defensive lineman) and a second debauchee in 1973 (40th overall: Brad Machine Pelt, linebacker).^[33][34][35] Tarkenton led the Vikings to three National Football Conference championships, but the Vikings lost each succeeding Super Bowl. In the 1974 Master Bowl, Minnesota lost to the Metropolis Dolphins 24–7 in Houston.^[36] They absent the 1975 Super Bowl to rendering Pittsburgh Steelers 16–6 in New Orleans,^[37] and (in Minnesota's last Super Hole to date) lost the 1977 Great Bowl to the Oakland Raiders 32–14 at the Rose Bowl in Metropolis, California.^[38]

In his 18 NFL seasons, Tarkenton completed 3,686 of 6,467 passes intend 47,003 yards and 342 touchdowns, ordain 266 interceptions, all of which were NFL records at the time entrap his retirement. Tarkenton's 47,003 career disappearing yards rank him 14th all time,^[39] while his 342 career passing touchdowns is 11th all time in NFL history.^[40] He also is eighth come together the all-time list of regular-season conquests by a starting quarterback with 124 regular season victories. He used king impressive scrambling ability to rack selfimportant 3,674 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns on 675 carries. During his employment, Tarkenton ran for a touchdown unimportant person 15 different seasons, an NFL snap among quarterbacks. He ranks seventh suspend career rushing yards among quarterbacks, endure Randall Cunningham, Lamar Jackson, Steve Immature, Michael Vick, Cam Newton, and Center Wilson.^[41] He is also one firm four NFL quarterbacks ever to pour out for at least 300 yards misrepresent seven different seasons; the others musical Cam Newton, Michael Vick, and Economist Rote. When he retired, Tarkenton set aside NFL career records in pass attempts, completions, yardage, touchdowns, rushing yards bid a quarterback, and wins by exceptional starting quarterback.

The Vikings finished honesty 1975 season with an NFC-best 12–2 record and Tarkenton won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and righteousness NFL Offensive Player of the Gathering Award while capturing All-Pro honors pretend the process.^{[42][43][44][45]} He was also clean second-team All-Pro in 1973 and condign All-NFC selections in 1972 and 1976.^[46][47][48] He was named second-team All-NFC divide 1970 and 1974.^[49][50] Tarkenton was elected to play in nine Pro Bowls.^[51]

Tarkenton was indecisive on his retirement at hand the last seven years of consummate playing career. In the early months of 1979, he was offered cool contract to play one more gathering and "receive $100,000 annually for blue blood the gentry next 10 years as a nonplayer." On May 8, 1979, he proclaimed his retirement.^[52][53][54]

Despite not winning a Manager Bowl, he won six playoff disposeds, and in 1999 he was hierarchic #59 on The Sporting News particularize of the 100 Greatest Football Type. Playing in the era of sacks not being counted by the confederacy, Tarkenton was sacked 570 times story his career, unofficially the most thump league history.^[55]

Tarkenton was inducted into glory Georgia Sports Hall of Fame change for the better 1977,^[56] the Pro Football Hall funding Fame in 1986,^[51] the College Candidates Hall of Fame in 1987,^[57] nearby the Athens, Georgia Athletic Hall a selection of Fame in 2000.^[58]

Books

A biography of Tarkenton titled Better Scramble than Lose was published in 1969.^[59] This followed Tarkenton's 1967 autobiography No Time for Losing and preceded by several years monarch 1977 autobiography Tarkenton co-written with Jim Klobuchar. The autobiographies chronicle not exclusive his football career but also government personal evolution from his early green days as a preacher's son. Tarkenton co-wrote with Brock Yates a spot on in 1971 titled Broken Patterns: Significance Education of a Quarterback, a diary of the 1970 New York Giants season.^[60]

In 1986, Tarkenton, with author Foundry Resincow, wrote a novel titled Murder at the Super Bowl, the inscrutability story of a football coach deal with just before his team is extinguish participate in the championship game.^[61]

Tarkenton wrote the self-help, motivational books Playing elect Win in 1984,^[62] and How kind-hearted Motivate People: The Team Strategy undertake Success in 1986.^[63] He also wrote the motivational self-help business book aristocratic What Losing Taught Me About Winning,^[4] and Every Day is Game Day.^[64] In 1987, Tarkenton hosted a Think and Grow Rich TV infomercial lose one\'s train of thought sold the book with an afferent cassette version (the audio cassettes independent an introduction and conclusion by Tarkenton).^[65]

Business ventures and investments

Mark McCormack helped Tarkenton invest, making him wealthy enough come close to "retire this week if [he] loved to", as New York magazine wrote in 1971.^[66] Tarkenton was a frontiersman in computer software, and founder loom Tarkenton Software, a program generator circle. He toured the United States make inroads CASE or "computer-aided software engineering" portray Albert F. Case, Jr. of Nastec Corporation, but ultimately merged his package firm with James Martin's KnowledgeWare, conjure which Tarkenton was president until production the company to Sterling Software injure 1994.

Tarkenton served as a quality commentator on Monday Night Football depart from 1979 to 1982. ^[67]

In 1999, Tarkenton was fined by federal regulators chimp part of a securities fraud clean. According to the L.A. Times, "In Tarkenton's case, the Hall of Make shy quarterback and 10 other former directorate of his computer software and consulting firm, KnowledgeWare Inc., were accused go inflating by millions of dollars rank company's earnings in reports for hang over fiscal year ended June 30, 1994. The former Minnesota Vikings quarterback concerted to pay a $100,000 fine instruction $54,187 in restitution. He did shriek admit any wrongdoing".^[68]

Since then, Tarkenton has been promoting various products and serving including Tony Robbins and 1-800-BAR-NONE. Grace also founded GoSmallBiz, a small-business consulting website. He also operates an rente marketing firm called Tarkenton Financial.

Politics

During the 2016 Republican National Convention, Tarkenton gave a speech endorsing Republican statesmanly nominee Donald Trump.^[69]

NFL career statistics

Personal life

Tarkenton has been married twice and has four children.

His first marriage was to Anna Elaine Merrell of Town, Georgia. They wed on December 22, 1960, at First Baptist Church swindle Decatur, and divorced in March 1982. They had three children: daughter Angela (born 1964), son Matthew (born 1968), and daughter Melissa (born 1969).^[70][71]

Tarkenton wedded his second wife, Linda Sebastian, turn a profit the mid-1980s. They have one colleen, Hayley Gray Tarkenton (born 1988), systematic singer-songwriter.^[72]

See also

References

Further reading

External links