The STRANGEST MOMENT of Fran Tarkenton's CAREER | Bears @ Giants (1969)

After a 1969 NFL week 3 game between the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, Giants head coach Alex Webster decided that it would be a good idea to criticize Fran Tarkenton and say that he wasn't playing well... even though Tarkenton just had the best game of his career. This is the story behind the bizarre controversy
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#nfl #giants #nygiants #nyg #nflthrowback #football #sports #highlights
Members of the 1969 Giants:
Pete Gogolak
Fran Tarkenton
Milt Plum
Gary Wood
Scott Eaton
Bruce Maher
Ernie Koy
Tucker Frederickson
Randy Minniear
John Fuqua
Curley Johnson
Junior Coffey
Joe Morrison
Willie Williams
Spider Lockhart
Tom Longo
Homer Jones
Al Brenner
Jim Holifield
John Kirby
Greg Larson
Gene Ceppetelli
Ralph Heck
Tommy Crutcher
Ray Hickl
Chuck Hinton
Charlie Harper
Darrell Dess
Doug Van Horn
Pete Case
Henry Davis
Willie Young
Bob Lurtsema
Frank Parker
Frank Molden
Tim McCann
John Johnson
Joe Szczecko
Rich Buzin
Steve Wright
Bruce Anderson
Freeman White
McKinley Boston
Dave Dunaway
Rich Houston
Don Herrmann
Butch Wilson
Rich Kotite
Aaron Thomas
Fred Dryer
Allie Sherman (initial head coach)
Alex Webster (head coach)
Wellington Mara (owner)

[@stevewarren4813]

Fran may have only played for ONE good coach, Bud Grant.

[@WVUer21]

This is where Mr. Burns got the idea to relieve Darryl Strawberry in the softball game against Shelbyville. "I got nine homeruns today!" "You should be very proud of yourself, now sit down."

[@DanStrayer]

Fans: “DARRRRRRRR-rylllll!!!” 🍓: 😭

[@toddbiesel4288]

Are you telling me that a quarterback threw for four touchdowns, won the game, and still got chewed out by his coach? THAT'S INCREDIBLE!!!

[@dominicrossitto5890]

😆

[@jpjpjp453]

Good one!

[@rjflesher]

I see what you did there

[@jonathanjudd3168]

Underrated comment.

[@msarzo]

"Fran played a bad game." JG9, me, and nearly everyone who knows even a little tiny bit about football, "I'm sorry, WHAT?!" Alex Webster didn't coach to the level I'd expect for a New York football Giants head coach. His career and the decision to bash Tarkenton were worse than if he did nothing but spike the ball into the ground on every single play. It was almost Joe Judge-level awful.

[@donaldpaluga]

So lawst. So so lawst-Mike Francesa

[@CTubeMan]

To whom is the Webster-Judge comparison unfair?

[@msarzo]

@@CTubeMan By record, it's unfair to Webster as he lasted five seasons in New York and had a 29-40-1 career record and a 1970 UPI NFL Coach Of The Year honor. Judge went 10-23 in two seasons as Giants boss.

[@jasoncohen7631]

Webster was actually predicting Tarkenton's upcoming Superbowl performances.

[@willflint5014]

My grandfather got what would have been counted as a “sack” if it had occurred today, on Fran Tarkenton. Both were playing prep ball in Georgia.

[@saubergt2390]

I was thinking about doing a football game where I attempt what I call the "JaguarGator9 Challenge". In which I attempt to win while doing nothing but spiking the ball into the ground on every single play on offense. Winning with only defensive touchdowns, and making the opposing QB have a rating lower than 39.6. I'm thinking I should do it in ESPN NFL 2K5, where I can earn crib credits for doing it, however I could do something else if I wanted.

[@Joseph-cu8lg]

Tarkenton might be the most underrated when it comes to all time greats at QB

[@stevenbauer4799]

Those three s b losses to far superior teams did him no favours.

[@nicoleknight9412]

The Vikings picked him up after a stellar All-american career at Georgia. So why did they deal him off to the Giants anyway?

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@nicoleknight9412vikes were dumb and liked injun joe from cal to be their qb.

[@shackdaddy7106]

@@nicoleknight9412 They traded him away because Tarkenton and then head coach Norm Van Brocklin could not get along. Tarkenton‘s attitude at the end of the 1966 season was so down that both he and the Vikings agreed had a change of scenery was needed. And like today the Vikings knew they could get a bunch of very good draft picks in exchange. A couple of those draft picks at the Vikings acquired or name Ron Yary and Alan Page. Two Hall of Famer’s. Norm Van Brocklin also got fired. And the Vikings hired a guy named Bud Grant. And the rest was history. Then the 1972, when the Vikings were in desperate need for a quarterback, and I do mean desperate. They reaquired Fran Tarkenton who was older and a little more mature. Plus he was coming to a team that had won their division three years in a row. And Tarkenton was very popular in Minnesota so it was also a good PR move. After a Soso 1972 season. The Vikings went on to play in three Super Bowls in four years. They did lose them all, but they were there. The two trades involving Fran Tarkenton were the best trades that the Minnesota Vikings have ever made.

[@shackdaddy7106]

When Fran Tarkenton retired at the end of the 1978 season. He held most of the career records for quarterbacks in the history of pro football up to that time. I think he is underrated now. But at the time he played he was not underrated.

[@nasetvideos]

Some coaching decisions and ideas just make no sense whatsoever. Overthinking and playing head games are never a good idea with grown men, especially professional athletes. This was a fantastic video--Really wonderful job laying out the context of everything.

[@KMcNally117]

Comment from five hours ago... Video posted 21 seconds ago. Hmmm...

[@nasetvideos]

Patreon supporter. Get videos first before everyone else

[@leonardromaniello]

I've been a Giants fan since 1966. I loved Tarkington and after he went back to Minnesota, the Giants didn't have a decent quarterback until they drafted Phil Simms. Besides 1970 when Tarkington was still there , the Giants really sucked in the 70s.

[@karlcooper7016]

This reminds me of what Darryl Rodgers a former Lions coach once said 'what does a guy have to do to get fired around here'.

[@CTubeMan]

Get hired by the Lions is a good first step.

[@pluto545]

Classical Edition: How to get your star QB to leave your franchise?

[@karlcooper7016]

Coaches back then used weird motivational tactics like that but the more I hear maybe this guy was just flat out weird.

[@hankw69]

I think it was ONLY Bud Grant that was forward looking enough to recognize Tarkenton's real potential. Most of the 1960's head coaches were fixed on the classic, immobile, pocket passer QB. Tarkenton struggled against that kind of thinking up until Grant called him 'home' to Minnesota. The AFC dominated the Superbowls from 68 thru 80 with tough defenses and fast offensive play that favored the passing game. The old, plodding NFL ground game was a thing of the past.

[@bobma6342]

Fran Tarkenton played for 4 head coaches in the NFL: Norm Van Brocklin, Allie Sherman, Alex Webster, and Bud Grant. It's no coincidence that he had his most successful seasons under Grant. Grant was a bonafide head coach. Sherman was okay only because he went to three straight NFL Championship games. The other two were clowns as head coaches. He loved playing for Grant. He once said, "If you can't play for Bud Grant then you can't play for anyone." He said in all the time he played for Grant he never heard him yell at a player.

[@karlcooper7016]

He sounds a little like today's coaches talking about 'throwing it away more'.

[@maverickpaladin4155]

Was Tarkenton not a likeable guy? I've heard other "tough guy" players of the era speak of him in ways that were less than complementary.

[@DireHammer]

He didn't play the way qbs were supposed to play the game in the 1960s. You were supposed to stand in the pocket and throw it away if it's not there. You were NOT supposed to scramble around and make things happen.

[@23_CM]

@@DireHammer I understand that it was a different time, but it’s still amazing to me that he caught flack for using his legs a little bit more than the average QB. I’m younger and didn’t watch him live. But being mobile is so normalized nowadays that it’s amazing to think it would get anyone’s panties in a wad

[@DolFan316]

@@23_CM The sad part is it's completely the opposite today, when anyone upset at Deshaun Watson for being a sexual predator gets shouted down and accused of "pearl clutching".

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Defensive lineman got frustrated at Tarkenton , because they hated chasing him around, especially in warm weather.Norm Van Brocklin ( his first head coach).was a prototype drop back pocket passer,and he hated Fran scrambling around! Fran was not a big guy, and he ran around to buy time.

[@76vike19]

Ron Yary never had great things to say about Tark. Not sure what their beef was about.

[@CTubeMan]

Alex Webster almost sounded like a Tennis Dad there (preparing for slap). And is that Bill Cullen at 3:30? You mentioned how the Giants were compared to the rest of the Century Division at that point in the season. This unofficial Official Jaguar Gator 9 historian will remind everyone you made a video about how that division got its name.

[@donaldpaluga]

THAT'S INCREDIBLE!

[@DolFan316]

(Slaps CTubeMan Will Smith-style.) My wife made me do it.

[@CTubeMan]

@@DolFan316 So how was your weekend?

[@DolFan316]

@@CTubeMan The weekend was okayish. But now I've got a giant fallen tree across my driveway because weather and I can't go anywhere until it's gotten rid of. I've been assured that'll happen tomorrow though.

[@CTubeMan]

@@DolFan316 Hope you get that fixed soon. I was riffing on Chris Rock’s opening line of his next comedy act after the slap.

[@NickJaime]

Lol, I guess that's one of many reasons why we know Fran but not this coach.

[@brianarbenz1329]

Sounds like a personality clash between coach and QB. Irresistible force vs. immovable object.

[@HipsterShiningArmor]

i like how jg9 sounds genuinely offended over these stupid comments made 51 years ago. and its completely warranted

[@DolFan316]

With any other person I'd get annoyed at them being offended over stuff, but when OJG9 does it's cool somehow.

[@brianthomas2434]

Huh ? At about 3:35 Allie is shown in conversation with Bill Cullen. I remember from TV game shows, he was host of a bunch, a panelist on others. It has NOTHING to do with your story but do you know where that appearance was?

[@mgb4692]

If the Lions game is still fresh in mind melding the two together with "He needs to be at this level against the Steelers, no Detroit shit", and considering they would go on to lose seven in a row some of that would be warranted. But he was doing two things here: One, talking about Fran like he was a third-year late round pick still learning, and Two, like he went all Gary Danielson (prev JG9 vid plug) Rich Kotite was a backup TE on that team, explains a lot

[@CTubeMan]

Have you been fitted for your tweed jacket yet?

[@mgb4692]

@@CTubeMan Ah what can I say it's a courtesy thing

[@JonPITBZN]

Even if this game was a loss...a zero-INT game is a weird time to talk about throwing the ball away. So Tarkenton wouldn't have avoided any picks by throwing the ball away more...but he might have avoided a touchdown! That'd be pretty bad in a game when you needed all his touchdowns to win.

[@chicagojeff]

Great video! Clearly Tarkenton was not Webster's guy lol. Also Whiplash is an outstanding movie.

[@jasondickstein71]

No wonder the team was so dysfunctional back then. Thanks JG9.

[@calebcraven7409]

Was hehehe

[@mrmoose6619]

Not sure how any player can do better than a career day... maybe those incomplete passes were terrible throws and decisions????

[@CTubeMan]

Probably spiked the ball into the ground on those plays.

[@239bestest]

Perhaps he should have spiked the ball into the ground on every play?

[@denisceballos9745]

Giants fans and the press in NY were filled with high expectations when Alex Webster became the coach in 1969. He was Giants blue blood, and the opening season win vs Minnesota, seemed to confirm those expectations. But reality began to sink in, after an awful loss in Detroit, then the narrow win vs Chicago and the Giants came down to Earth. Who gets thrown under the bus? Well, apparently Tark did, undeservedly. Not sure why - chalk it up to a rookie coach mistake (?) The Giants ended up having a mid-season 7 game skein and finishing out of the playoffs. Another disappointing season - and over in Queens, the Jets and Mets were stealing the headlines.

[@matthewdaley746]

Imagine, LIVING, in Baltimore, and, having your heart broken by New York, twice, and, Pittsburgh, twice, plus, Milwaukee, sad times.

[@denisceballos9745]

@@matthewdaley746 The Oriole and Colt fans were a tough, resilient group. I knew a few of them and they were loyal, no end. Bullets fans too.

[@matthewdaley746]

@@denisceballos9745 It, was, totally, required.

[@matthewdaley746]

@@markalexander6517 Rewards, alas, never, outstanding.

[@coachkj62]

Number of ads in this video was really high. Every minute.

[@daBEAGLE1017]

Good Job on this video JaguarGator.

[@67marlins]

Unless this had been taken out of context.....then I absolutely agree that Coach Webster's comment was just plain stupid. And to say that in front of others.....good thing Tarkenton was mentally tough and didn't break. Some players would be negatively affected, and that would hurt their confidence going forward. The only thing I can figure.....coach Webster was so offended by Tarkenton essentially heading the mutiny, that he decided to target him, hoping that might scare other players into realizing the coach is the boss, and no one is safe from getting called-out, demoted or cut from the roster. That's the only thing I can come up with......

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

Herrmann had a great start to the '69 season-he had also caught Tark's last 2 TD passes against the Vikings in the season opener, including the game winner with under a minute to play (Gogolak's ensuing XP was the difference in the 24-23 win over Minnesota).

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

In the case of the man who invented the end zone spike (Homer Jones), he only had one TD all season after having 13 in 1967...and that was the other TD Tarkenton threw in week 1 vs the Vikings. Then Cleveland made one of two disastrous trades in the off season, swapping Ron Johnson for Jones (the other was the even worse Paul Warfield for Miami's first round pick in the 1970 draft...who became QB Mike Phipps. Worked out about as well as you'd expect for Cleveland while Warfield became Bob Griese's primary target and the Miami dynasty started).

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

One final note-the 1961 game against the Bears where Tark threw 4 TD passes was the first game in Vikings history, won by Minnesota 37-13.

[@pendragon2012]

I wonder if Webster was just more obsessed with lifelong Giants as opposed to guys who came from other teams. But yeah, this was ridiculous. Tarkenton was amazing for my Giants!

[@stevenbauer4799]

tarkenton was a bad fit for g men and needed to go back to vikes to resurrect his career. He said g men basically were running a west coast type of offense then because the d was so bad offense needed to control the ball to keep the d off of the field.

[@DolFan316]

"There's something about losing to the Steelers that can ignite even the most submissive man" is the quote of the video. Before '72 the Steelers were considered absolute jokes. In a way they were the most feared team in the NFL...because losing to them was considered the ultimate emasculation.

[@matthewdaley746]

After, SB 14, they fell apart, not, drafting Dan Marino set them back decades, and, despite, winning, two, SBs, Ben Roethlisberger, wasn't, victimized, by, Tom Brady, so, much, as he, was, victimized, by, constantly, Playing Down To The Level Of His Competition.

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

Steelers would only win 1 game in 1969...enabling them to draft Terry Bradshaw with the top pick in the following draft.

[@matthewdaley746]

@@andrewpadaetz5549 Dan Marino oversight, whoops.

[@davidnelson6874]

It’s funny, in Minnesota the Vikings players absolutely hated Coach Norm Van Brocklin during Tarkenton’s first go around in Minnesota. He must have been thrilled to play for Bud Grant when he was traded back to Minnesota.

[@DolFan316]

All I got from that Whiplash clip is that the guy from the Farmer's insurance ads is in fantastic shape for someone old enough to be my dad.

[@matthewdaley746]

Being a family site killed the message, reading the unedited quote drives home the point that those who fail to strive will, never, excel.

[@williamjordan5554]

Tarkento. Former and future Viking.

[@markbrian7179]

Fran was probably saying to himself "Can't we bring Allie Sherman back?"

[@matthewdaley746]

The Giants had, Tom Landry, and, Vince Lombardi, on their staff, and, picked him, for, that alone, they deserved to, win, nothing, until Bill Parcells arrived.

[@matthewdaley746]

@Trump Lost !!!!! I, agree, with, that, (in, principle), but, the, team, simply, wasn't, as, good as the 49ers, Joe Montana would have found a way to get past them, he's just, better.

[@matthewdaley746]

@Trump Lost !!!!! Perhaps, but, in the, first, one, they, lost, by, not, kicking, a, FG, and, in the, second, they, lost, by trying to, win, by, only, kicking, FGs, simple as that.

[@matthewdaley746]

@Trump Lost !!!!! 1-5, that's monstrously pathetic.

[@matthewdaley746]

@Trump Lost !!!!! Could have been, worse, they could have given Tom Brady, one, last, SB, (yeah, I said it, and, I'm standing by it), Tampa Bay, wasn't, good, enough, and, their, O-Line, got, worse, and, after, he drove Bruce Arians into, "retirement," he, truly, doesn't deserve to, anyway.

[@stevereber]

AWESOME MY FAVORITE IS FOCUSING ON GREAT INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES FOR A GAME OR SEASON 💪🏈💪

[@jackkitchen737]

Alex Webster was an awful coach. Fran Tarkenton was an all time great QB. I remember watching Allie Sherman on ESPN on Monday nights back in 1985. ESPN had a sort of MNF pregame show, even though they didn't broadcast the game. Sherman broke down film, along with host Chris Berman.

[@matthewdaley746]

Absolutely must retire, YESTERDAY.

[@DolFan316]

In '69 telling the players they could go out and do anything they want carried...far less risk than today. You tell a team that today and half the roster will commit felonies before the week is out.

[@matthewdaley746]

They'll do it, anyway, because, only, careless, and/or, stupid, players, are, caught, and, only, truly, terrible, players get, "punished," anyway.

[@dougstarr2077]

There are so many different angles to view this. Obviously statistically it was not a bad game but was it a great game? The Bears were not a good team and the Giants narrowly escaped with the victory. Tarkenton also had helped run the previous coach out of town and perhaps Webster was loyal to Sherman. He could have also used this to try to light a fire under the team if he criticizes the best player. At the end of the day that Giant team lost 7 straight and Tarkenton never won a Super Bowl even with a super talented Viking team that had one of the greatest defensive lines ever. Sometimes we can't look at something at face value.

[@vikingjerome2438]

Whip lash Webster!🤣

[@DolFan316]

7:03 Defender got straight up Mossed, decades before that was a thing.

[@matthewdaley746]

Not, to be, "That Guy," but, for, all of his, greatness, Randy Moss could have been the greatest, WR, ever, but, chose to, no-a**, it, whenever, his number, wasn't, called, just sad.

[@CTubeMan]

@@matthewdaley746 When have you had qualms about being “That Guy”?

[@matthewdaley746]

@@CTubeMan Never, but, that's, how, the saying goes, and, why tamper, with, perfection.

[@CTubeMan]

@@matthewdaley746 Still drafting your acceptance letter to Oxford I see.

[@matthewdaley746]

@@CTubeMan Wouldn't go, obligatory pretension.

[@DolFan316]

Meh. This wasn't even Tarkenton's best game against the Bears. In the Vikings' first game ever, he completed more passes in fewer attempts for more yards and just as many TDs with no picks, for the third highest passer rating of his career. Maybe somehow Webster knew this and that's why he said Tarkenton could do better? Hmmm...

[@DanStrayer]

This gives me a distinct reminder of Arians giving Brady a hard time publicly during the 2020 regular season. Only difference: the 💍. And yes: I’m saying this the same week Arians “moved upstairs”. 🤔

[@matthewdaley746]

I'm at the point, where, Tom Brady, like, Mike Krzyzewski, and, Geno Auriemma, aren't, going to be caught in, Championships, and, thus, I don't want them to, win, (again), the fact that they come off as terrible people, only, strengthens that, here's to hoping that, The, Football/Basketball, Gods, get as mad as the rest of us.

[@Zexx4]

I want to finish this video but I cant, I'm only 6 minutes into the video and I've gotten almost 4 minutes in unskippable ads

[@markalexander6517]

The opinion was repeated over and over, without adding anything new, other than drama. I'm not sure that this video needed this much time invested, considering that this was over a half of a century ago, and perhaps the QB may have disregarded the game plan. Nice historic video footage , tho'.

[@VisualTedium]

Hahahahah you think that guy is an actor lol he is an insurance salesman. He was an actor

[@lsmftymf]

Just as I suspected. Alex Webster was as loopy a head coach as Wellington Mara was as the head of football operations. Didn't help matters that Francis Asbury Tarkenton had an annoying personality; outspoken to fans, a whiner to detractors.

[@matthewdaley746]

Well, to be fair, he had just as many, SB, losses, as, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, Jr., and, DIDN'T, have, seven, wins.

[@chadwickwhite6107]

I thought that the STRANGEST moment of Fran Tarkenton's career was when he REALIZED that he was WORSE than a 39.6 and should be SPIKING the football into the ground on EVERY single OFFENSIVE play!!!!!!

[@rockylombardo6978]

You should think before you post, the man retired and held every single passing record a quarterback could hold, in an era where Run was the name of the game not pass, you obviously know nothing about sports especially football

[@karlcooper7016]

This would be Joe Biden if he were a football coach everything is ass backwards looking at everything through his lense.

[@karlcooper7016]

@Trump Lost !!!!! I guess if you like higher food prices and higher gas prices and our borders overun.

[@DolFan316]

@@karlcooper7016 And global tyranny, don't forget about that part! Also, standing by and letting terrorists take Afghanistan and Russia invade whoever they want. Even most of the people who voted for Biden can see the truth now.

[@karlcooper7016]

@@DolFan316 I only had so much space and also I didn't want to drown out the football angle I just so happened to notice a parallel between him and Joe Biden.

[@mgb4692]

@Trump Lost !!!!! Nah pretty sure he was talking about the guy who wore a Delaware Blue Hens jacket to a rally in Philly and tried to pass it off as Eagles

[@mgb4692]

Only person crying is Lady Liberty On the bright side, if anyone missed Scary Movie 3 and 4, well they're all caught up now