GEORGIA FOOTBALL: TOP 30 PLAYERS IN SCHOOL HISTORY
4 – Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton is the most prolific of all Georgia football legends, winning the 1955 state football championship at Athens High School, drawing a play in the Sanford Stadium turf to secure the 1959 SEC Championship, and reaching three Super Bowls.
Tarkenton, known as the Scrambler for his footwork and the Magician for his deft ball handling, overcame a notoriously week arm with unmatched savvy and an accuracy personifying “thread the needle.”
An All-SEC quarterback in 1959, Tarkington led the SEC in completions with a conference record for completion percentage. In 1960, Tarkenton led the SEC in total offense and passing, and was named All-American and Academic All-American.
Chosen in the third round of the 1961 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings, Tarkington threw for over 1,000 yards in each of his eighteen professional seasons—an NFL record. He led the Vikings to the Super Bowl in 1973, 1974, and 1976, was NFL All-Pro in 1973 and 1975, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, and NFL Player of the Year in 1975.
When he retired, Tarkenton held lifetime NFL records for passing attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns. Vikings’ head coach Bud Grant called Tarkenton “the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.”
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