FRAN TARKENTON NEW YORK GIANTS QUARTERBACK 1967-1971 (GEORGIA)

"TARKENTON HAS RANKED AMONG THE NFL'S TOP 10 PASSERS SINCE HIS ALL AMERICAN DAYS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA...HE'S EXPECTED TO BE THE GIANTS ANSWER TO JOE NAMATH, COLORFUL NEW YORK JETS QUARTERBACK"

[@1sabbsfan]

Fran the man. Tark and Foreman were my hero's growing up

[@howie9751]

My favorite player. He got me into football.

[@jackkitchen737]

This is amazing. Thank you for posting Fran's NYG years

[@rockylombardo6978]

Luv Sir Francis best ever.

[@Noname-ni1dy]

Fran was my first football hero. It was devastating to me when the Giants traded him back to Minnesota.

[@user-iy6rm6pm4j]

Twelve years old. Fran Tarkenton. Homer Jones. Life is sweet!

[@audieconrad8995]

Pure New York Football Giants awesomeness.

[@jeffsmith2022]

I became a life long ,NY Giant fan ,around the time Francis was brought aboard...

[@lawrencelittlefield5254]

Fran's best years as an individual player were in New York, but the Giants lost out on both Tarkenton trades. In the first trade, they Giants didn't have enough to win and should have rebuilt instead of trading for a star. By playing out of his mind Tarkenton won enough games to reduce their draft position and they never improved. Meanwhile, among the players the Vikings got with four Giants draft choices were Hall of Famer Ron Yary, three time pro-bowler Ed White, and one time pro-bowler Bob Grim. Then, when they traded Fran back to Minnesota, they didn't get enough back. They got Norm Snead, Bob Grim, Vince Clements, and blew a first round draft choice in 1972 on Larry Jacobson. The only good player they got was from the Vikings second round pick in 1973, used to draft five time pro bowler Brad Van Pelt.

[@SingleTax]

Unfortunately the team as a whole was mediocre, which is why, during the Tarkenton era, the Giants had only one winning season and failed to make the playoffs even once. That, combined with the fact that Bud Grant had replaced Norm Van Brocklin as head coach of the Vikings, is obviously why Fran requested to be traded back to Minnesota.

[@mitchellmelkin4078]

​@@SingleTax, Tarkenton later remarked that the Giants' personnel in '67 was the least talented of any team he had ever been associated with, which was saying something!!!

[@nicholasmuro1742]

Giant's ownership was a shambles. Uncle and nephew co-owned the team and didn't get along. NYG didn't turn around until George Young became GM and took over.

[@jamesdamenti2092]

i became a life long giants (possessed) when fran starred for them...!

[@timothyzakaria7397]

Very exciting to watch especially when he played with Minnesota no dome at that time.

[@ccth22]

For those young people who are perplexed by the Giants recent “brain freeze” take note. They decided to trade this Hall Of Famer. He led the Vikings to three Super Bowls in the 70’s. While the Giants played in the tidy bowl.

[@duane9830]

He wanted out. He didn't get on with giants mgmnt.

[@duane9830]

Yeah, he didn't want to play for us anymore.

[@paulnguyen8910]

And his number is shared with Eli Manning in retirement, mate.

[@nflxfiles]

I must say Eli and Fran even look little alike (no offense to Archie)

[@SingleTax]

The question is: could he have played in today's league? His size alone would probably have excluded him from the draft.

[@Boxscot49]

He’s basically the same size as Drew Brees and more mobile so I think he’d be incredible if he played today especially if he refined his passing the way that modern qbs have.

[@Noname-ni1dy]

He would have been better in today’s game, his mobility and scrambling was not considered to be something teams wanted. That is the main reason the Giants traded him.

[@SingleTax]

@@Boxscot49 Brees has a much stronger arm.

[@Yeomannn]

bryce young is much smaller than tarkenton

[@guylindquist338]

Probably his best years but not the best team.

[@margaretjiantonio939]

His style was run for your life because 6'5 300lb linemen are chasing me with murderous intent.