Legendary former NFL quarterback Fran Tarkenton recently spent time with OutKick, taking us back to the days he became the original dual-threat quarterback and the Minnesota Vikings were so dominant they played three Super Bowls in four years… but lost all three.
About those three losses: Tarkenton has a reason he believes the Vikings suffered defeat, and his offense underperformed in each game.
Unspecified – 1978: Fran Tarkenton, Denver Broncos vs Minnesota Vikings gameplay. (Photo by Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Wasted Week For Tarkenton’s Vikings
“We had two weeks to prepare for the Super Bowl,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer said. “Guess what we did during two weeks? Our coach, the great coach Bud Grant, we didn’t know, he said ‘Go home and then come back, we’ll fly from Minneapolis to the Super Bowl.’
“We didn’t practice for a whole week! I talked to other quarterbacks. They scrimmaged that open week. They got prepared. They put their offense in. We had no clue. All the people we lost to in the Super Bowl, we beat before and after.
“[But] we had no preparation whatsoever for the Super Bowl because we missed that entire [first] week of practice. And nobody’s ever talked about that. Nobody’s ever thought about that. It’s like going into a final exam without opening a book to study. We went to the Super Bowl to play the biggest game ever, and we had no game plan.”
Watch the whole interview:
Pro Football Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton Joins Armando Salguero
It should be noted that both the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks spent the past few days practicing, preparing for Super Bowl LX. The teams didn’t take the week off or decide to prepare next week in Santa Clara.
That’s how it’s always been for Super Bowl teams — except for the Vikings.
Yes, rough.
But whatever struggles Tarkenton and the Vikings encountered in the Super Bowl, it doesn’t change the fact that he not only played the game but also helped transform the sport.
N.Y. Giants star quaterback Fran Tarkenton prepares to take the snap from center in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Yankee Stadium circa 1969. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
The Original Dual-Threat QB
Tarkenton was probably the first dual-threat quarterback in the NFL. He was definitely the most visible and successful until guys like Michael Vick, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen came on the scene.
“Back in my day, a quarterback, he was not supposed to run,” Tarkenton said. “From my high school years, my college years, my pro years, they didn’t run. The great Otto Graham, Y.A. Tittle, John Unitas, these are stationary quarterbacks.
“The game has totally changed, but the thing that’s changed the most, when I came in high school, I won the state championship in Georgia. I won the SEC championship at the University of Georgia. And then I played 18 years for the National Football League. And my high school, college years, I ran.
“I scrambled, but nobody called it scrambling. Nobody recognized it. I also threw. When I came to pro football, [everyone said] ‘Oh, he’ll never make it, they’ll kill him. Well, here’s the deal: I played 18 years in the National Football League. I missed five games in 18 years.”
Minnesota Vikings coach Norm Van Brocklin (right) enjoys a cigarette while traveling via bus for their season opener against the Green Bay Packers on September 16, 1962, at New City Stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by James Drake/Getty Images)
Tarkenton Versus Van Brocklin
Being a dual threat quarterback came with a price — no, not with opponents, but rather with his own coach. Norm Van Brocklin and Tarkenton didn’t quite get along because of his scrambling.
“We came to fists,” Tarkenton said.
“He couldn’t run five yards in 10 minutes. He was a statue. So, I drove him crazy. And he drove me crazy, and finally I said, ‘I’m not playing for you anymore.'”
During his time spent with OutKick, Tarkenton reflected on his career — his ability to stay healthy, his thoughts about current Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, his playing style and how that is now the modern style — and his post-career ventures.
He discussed his transition from the field to entrepreneurship, emphasizing that modern leadership in both sports and business requires constant adaptation.
Former NFL Quarterback Fran Tarkenton delivers a speech on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Tarkenton The Businessman
Tarkenton and business partner Will Adams have introduced their latest venture, Pip IQ, a technology platform designed to help small businesses leverage artificial intelligence securely.
The service focuses on data privacy, ensuring that a company’s intellectual property remains protected while utilizing large language models. Ultimately, the discussion highlights the importance of innovation and durability as common threads for success in any professional arena.
Tarkenton is obviously prepared to move forward with modern technologies. If only the 1970s Vikings had it for use during their Super Bowl preparations.
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