10 greatest Minnesota Vikings of all time

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 2: Defensive tackle Alan Page #88 and defensive end Carl Eller #81 of the Minnesota Vikings watch from the sideline during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium on December 2, 1973 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals defeated the Vikings 27-0. (Photo by Clifton Boutelle/Getty Images) /

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HOUSTON, TX – JANUARY 13: Fran Tarkenton #10 of the Minnesota Vikings turns to hand the ball off to Chuck Foreman #44 against the Miami Dolphins during Super Bowl VIII at Rice Stadium January 13, 1974 in Houston, Texas. The Dolphins won the Super Bowl 24-7. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

2. Fran Tarkenton, QB

He put up passing numbers that were somewhat unheard of given the era in which he played. Even more amazing was the fact that throughout most of his career, quarterback Fran Tarkenton managed to stay out of harm’s way when it came to injuries.

A third-round pick by the expansion Minnesota Vikings in their first year in 1961, the former Georgia Bulldog threw 113 TD passes and 95 interceptions with the team.

Tarkenton would be dealt to the New York Giants, where he played for the next five years and was named to the Pro Bowl four times. He would return to Minnesota in 1971 and over the course of the next six seasons the Vikings would reach the Super Bowl three times. His tenure with the franchise that drafted him added up to a total of 13 years.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer is the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards (33,098) and touchdown throws (239).

While he last played in 1978, Tarkenton still ranks 10th in NFL history with 342 touchdown passes and 12th in league annals with 47,003 yards through the air. He frustrated defenses with his scrambling but he consistently made the Vikings a team to reckon with.

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