American · b. 1940
Fran Tarkenton (b. 1940) is a former American football quarterback regarded as one of the most innovative players in NFL history. Drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1961, he earned the nickname "The Scrambler" for evading pass rushers by running outside the pocket rather than holding a traditional dropback stance, a style that reshaped how coaches thought about quarterback mobility. Traded to the New York Giants in 1967, he returned to Minnesota in 1972 and led the Vikings to three Super Bowl appearances (VIII, IX, and XI). At his retirement in 1978 he held the NFL career records for passing yards, touchdown passes, and completions, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986. Beyond football, Tarkenton became a broadcaster, co-hosting ABC's Monday Night Football, and an entrepreneur who founded several business-consulting and software companies. He has written or co-written several books on football and personal motivation, including this early memoir composed during his first stint with the Vikings.