Fran Tarkenton played college ball at Georgia from 1958-’60.
At QB over 3 years he completed 186 of 317 passes for 2100 yards and 18 TDs to 20 INT.
In 1961 was a 3rd round pick of the then expansion Minnesota Vikings.
Came off the bench in his first game and threw for 4 TDs and rushed for another in a comeback win.
Rushed for a career high 5 TDs his rookie year.
His 89 yard completion in 1962 led the NFL.
Displayed his gift for running out of the pocket early on- becoming one of the first modern hybrid scrambling QBs.
In ’64 passed for 2506 yards and 22 TDs to 11 INT as Tarkenton led the Vikings to an 8-5-1 record.
Traded to Giants in 1967.
Threw for a career high 3,088 yards and 29 TDs that year.
Traded back to the Vikings in 1972.
During the 70s, alongside the Purple People Eaters, led the Vikings to two 12-2 records, and a 10-2-1 record enroute to the 3 Super Bowl appearances,
Led NFL in Attempts in 1975, ’76, ’78, completions in ’75 and ’78 and completion percentage in 1977.
Finished out on top in 1978 with 3468 yards passing and retired after the season- his 18th in the NFL
At the time of his retirement, owned many of the NFL career passing records.
Moved into business, public speaking, commentating, acting, wrote self help books, and an annuity market firm.
ACCOLADES:
Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
All Pro 1975
NFL MVP 1975
NFL Offensive Player of the Year 1875
Pro Bowl 1964-’65, 1967-’70, 1974-’76
Minnesota Vikings 25th Anniversary Team
Minnesota Vikings 40th Anniversary Team
50 Greatest Vikings
Vikings #10 Jersey Retired
Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor
NOTES:
Fran Tarkenton with Cathy Lee Crosby on ‘That’s Incredible’ alongside Hopper the Frog
Fran Tarkenton was a very comfortable voice during my childhood, in which I wasn’t really familiar with him from football post retirement but from his stint as a host on the show ‘That’s Incredible’. It only lasted one season in the 80’s but the format, some of the segments, the hosts and the theme music stuck with me over the years.
After I got Len’s autograph back in 2016, a lot of rumors started up that perhaps he was being ghost signed. I did pay a small fee for his autograph and got these back quite quickly. The biggest hang up that the TTM community had over his autograph was the fluidity of it, and how the ‘L’ and the ‘D’ were just too… loopy, almost feminine, and that they changed styles.
I could see their concerns, but regardless felt confident enough to get Len on these two set needs. My reasoning is that as people do get older their autographs do change, and that I’d seen a lot of these ‘loopy’ autographs be passed off as certified and also as authentic. I, myself was very happy to not only get these two back in a very short period of time, but also that he inscribed them with his HOF year.
EPITAPH:
8/24/22- Len Dawson was moved to hospice in the last few days, where he passed away at the age of 87.
Harold Jackson played college ball at Jackson State from 1964-68.
Not only was a prolific WR, but also a speedy track man, setting a record 9.3 second 100 yard dash at the school.
Led the SWAC in receiving in both 1965 (46 catches for 612 yards and 11 TDs), and in 1966 (56 catches for 878 yards and 8 TDs).
12th round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1968.
After appearing in just 2 games his rookie season, was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Led the league in receiving yards in ’69 with 1,116.
In 1972, led the NFL in both catches (62) and yards (1,048).
Harold was traded back to the Rams in 1973 for Roman Gabriel.
On 40 catches, he had a league leading 13 TDs.
Was traded to the New England Patriots in 1978.
In 1979, posted 1,013 yards receiving and a career high 22.5 yards per reception.
Played briefly in 1982 for the Vikings, and rounded out career in ’83 with the Seahawks.
Suited up during the Players Strike in ’87 for the Patriots, but didn’t play.
Has a long and prolific coaching career at a variety of pro, semi-rpo and college levels, as a positional and head coach.
Among his pro stops were with the Patriots (85-89), New Orleans Night (1991), Bucs (1992-93), Saints (1997-99), Hartford Colonials (2011), and Sacramento Mountain Lions (2012).
In 2014, Harold served as head coach for his Alma Mater Jackson State from 2014-15.
ACCOLADES:
AP 1973
2nd Team AP 1972, ’77
Pro Bowl 1969, ’72-73, ’75, ’77
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
NOTES:
I’ve never had anyone personalize my cards in quotations- but okay.
Despite finishing near the top of the statistical receiving charts at the time of his career- spanning 3 eras from the 60s to the 80s, Harold has not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Whether it’s a combination of the infamous logger jam at receiver, or the fact his stats just don’t stand out as much because it was during the dead ball era, Harold is still waiting to hear his name called.
It’s interesting, cracking down on Harold’s stats, that he has such a high yards per reception (17.9 on 579 catches), but his longest catch is just 79 yards.
Great cards- Always love the Topps 71 set. It’s classy, and it’s grown on me over the years specifically. It’s still a casual collect for me, but among Topps sets it’s one of my favorites.
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
579
10,372
17.9
76
79
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
