# Fran Tarkenton
**Fran Tarkenton** (Francis Asbury Tarkenton, born February 3, 1940, in [Richmond, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/richmond-virginia)) is an American former professional football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the NFL for the [Minnesota Vikings](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-vikings) and [New York Giants](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-giants), retired as the league's all-time leader in completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.[1](https://prod.cfbhall.com/inductees/fran-tarkenton-1987/) • [2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) • [3](https://www.vikings.com/team/front-office-roster/fran-tarkenton)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | February 3, 1940, Richmond, Virginia; son of Dallas Tarkenton, a Methodist minister[1](https://prod.cfbhall.com/inductees/fran-tarkenton-1987/) |
| Draft | Third round (29th overall), 1961 NFL Draft, Minnesota Vikings; also fifth round (35th overall) of the 1961 AFL Draft by the Boston Patriots[4](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TarkFr00.htm) |
| Career totals | 6,467 pass attempts, 3,686 completions, 47,003 passing yards, 342 touchdown passes, 3,674 rushing yards, 124 wins as a starting quarterback[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) |
| Honors | 9 Pro Bowls, All-NFL 4 times, NFL MVP in 1975[3](https://www.vikings.com/team/front-office-roster/fran-tarkenton) |
| Super Bowls | Started and lost Super Bowls VIII, IX, and XI with the Vikings[3](https://www.vikings.com/team/front-office-roster/fran-tarkenton) |
| Hall of Fame | Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 1986; College Football Hall of Fame 1987; Vikings Ring of Honor 1998[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) • [3](https://www.vikings.com/team/front-office-roster/fran-tarkenton) |
## Early life and college
Tarkenton attended Athens High School in Georgia, leading the team to the state championship in 1955 and earning all-state honors in football, baseball, and basketball as a senior.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/sports-and-games/sports-biographies/fran-tarkenton) He then played quarterback at the [University of Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-georgia) from 1958 to 1960. In 1959, trailing Auburn 13-7 late, he threw a touchdown pass on fourth down from the 13-yard line to win the game and clinch the [Southeastern Conference](https://www.edgepedia.org/southeastern-conference) title; Georgia finished 10-1 and beat Missouri 14-0 in the [Orange Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/orange-bowl) on two Tarkenton touchdown passes. As a senior in 1960 he led the nation in passing, earned All-American and first-team Academic All-American honors, and was an All-Conference selection.[1](https://prod.cfbhall.com/inductees/fran-tarkenton-1987/)
## NFL career
**Minnesota, 1961-1966.** The expansion Vikings drafted Tarkenton in the third round of the 1961 [NFL draft](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfl-draft). In the franchise's first regular-season game, on September 17, 1961, the rookie came off the bench and threw four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth in a 37-13 upset of the [Chicago Bears](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bears).[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) That season he passed for 1,997 yards and 18 touchdowns and set an NFL record with 13 consecutive completed passes in a win over Los Angeles.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/sports-and-games/sports-biographies/fran-tarkenton)
**New York, 1967-1971.** His improvisational style frustrated Vikings coach [Norm Van Brocklin](https://www.edgepedia.org/norm-van-brocklin), and after the 1966 season Minnesota traded him to the Giants; the deal returned two first-round and two second-round draft picks over three years.[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) In his first Giants season he passed for 3,088 yards and 29 touchdowns, and he earned four [Pro Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-bowl) selections in his first four New York seasons (1967-1970).[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton)
**Return to Minnesota, 1972-1978.** After the 1971 season the Giants traded Tarkenton back to the Vikings for Norm Snead, Bob Grim, Vince Clements, a 1972 first-round pick, and a 1973 second-round pick.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/sports-and-games/sports-biographies/fran-tarkenton) The 1973-76 stretch was his finest: he led Minnesota to three NFC Championships (1973, 1974, 1976) and was named NFL Most Valuable Player in 1975, a season in which he led the league in completions and touchdowns.[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) • [6](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/best-qbs-nfl-history-without-a-super-bowl/) [The Vikings](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-vikings) lost [Super Bowl VIII](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-viii) to Miami, Super Bowl IX to [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh) 16-6, and Super Bowl XI to Oakland, and the team scored just 21 points across his three Super Bowl appearances.[7](https://time.com/5512764/tom-brady-super-bowl-patriots-rams/) • [8](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/where-jalen-hurts-patrick-mahomes-now-rank-among-the-21-quarterbacks-with-multiple-super-bowl-starts/)
## Playing style and records
Nicknamed "The Scrambler," Tarkenton was the game's first true scrambling quarterback, extending plays with his mobility and throwing on the run, a forerunner of what later became known as the dual-threat quarterback.[9](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/gold-jacket-spotlight-fran-tarkenton-scrambles-into-record-book) • [2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) Hall of Fame defensive end David "Deacon" Jones said opponents "tried desperately to end his career," because "on a hot day in the Coliseum, chasing Fran Tarkenton was not what you wanted to do."[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton)
When he retired following the 1978 season, Tarkenton held the NFL's all-time marks in completions (3,686), passing yards (47,003), touchdown passes (342), rushing yardage by a quarterback (3,674), and victories as a starting quarterback (124).[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) His combined passing and rushing production of 50,677 yards and 374 touchdowns surpassed the previous benchmarks of [Johnny Unitas](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-unitas) (42,016 yards and 303 touchdowns).[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) Adjusted for era, he recorded top-five league finishes in passer rating eight times, completion percentage 10 times, touchdown passes 11 times, and passing yards 12 times.[2](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton) He also rushed for at least one touchdown in 15 seasons and ranks sixth in career rushing yards by a quarterback.[9](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/gold-jacket-spotlight-fran-tarkenton-scrambles-into-record-book)
## Post-football career
Tarkenton retired after the 1978 season and joined ABC-TV as a commentator on [Monday Night Football](https://www.edgepedia.org/monday-night-football) and co-host of the television show That's Incredible! He founded Behavioral Systems Inc. in 1972 and later the software company KnowledgeWare, which he sold at a substantial loss in 1995; in 1999 he paid $100,000 to settle Securities and Exchange Commission fraud charges connected to the KnowledgeWare operation.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/sports-and-games/sports-biographies/fran-tarkenton) He later founded the student-lending company Funding U.[10](https://apnews.com/article/ce25dd95df46653c13d0701c49c98c51)
## Legacy
Vikings coach Bud Grant called Tarkenton "the greatest quarterback to ever play the game."[1](https://prod.cfbhall.com/inductees/fran-tarkenton-1987/) He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987, and the Vikings Ring of Honor in 1998.[3](https://www.vikings.com/team/front-office-roster/fran-tarkenton) His three Super Bowl losses remain a defining part of his record, and he is regularly listed among the best quarterbacks never to win one.[6](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/best-qbs-nfl-history-without-a-super-bowl/)
## References
1. [Francis Asbury Tarkenton, College Football Hall of Fame (1987)](https://prod.cfbhall.com/inductees/fran-tarkenton-1987/)
2. [Fran Tarkenton, Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/fran-tarkenton)
3. [Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings](https://www.vikings.com/team/front-office-roster/fran-tarkenton)
4. [Fran Tarkenton, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TarkFr00.htm)
5. [Fran Tarkenton, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/sports-and-games/sports-biographies/fran-tarkenton)
6. [Ranking the Best QBs in NFL History Without a Super Bowl, Pro Football Network](https://www.profootballnetwork.com/best-qbs-nfl-history-without-a-super-bowl/)
7. [Why Tom Brady's Super Bowl Experience Doesn't Guarantee a Patriots Victory, TIME](https://time.com/5512764/tom-brady-super-bowl-patriots-rams/)
8. [Where Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes now rank among the 21 quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl starts, CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/where-jalen-hurts-patrick-mahomes-now-rank-among-the-21-quarterbacks-with-multiple-super-bowl-starts/)
9. [Gold Jacket Spotlight: Fran Tarkenton Scrambles into Record Book, Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.profootballhof.com/news/gold-jacket-spotlight-fran-tarkenton-scrambles-into-record-book)
10. [MacKenzie Scott's college roommate once loaned her $1K, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/ce25dd95df46653c13d0701c49c98c51)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Quarterbacks › Early era quarterbacks*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license