Francis Asbury Tarkenton was born in Richmond, Virginia, To the Pastor Dallas Tarkenton. He grew up in Georgia, where he played played football. Although he was an all-state quarterback in high school and an All-American at the University of Georgia, he was not chosen in the professional draft of 1961 until the third round, when the Vikings, a newly established team, selected him. He won the starting quarterback position as a Rookie and with the Vikings …showed first 75 words of 335 total…

…showed last 75 words of 335 total…final season in 1978 and then retired. During his playing career Tarkenton developed a successful business career, which he continued after his retirement. He was American football player, a quarterback noted for his ability to run with the ball while looking for a receiver. He set numerous National Football League (NFL) passing records during his professional career with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.