@vikingsguydayone: 1972-1-27: On this day in Professional Football History: The Minnesota Vikings, looking for an offensive spark, brought an old friend home. The New York Giants traded all-pro quarterback Fran Tarkenton back to his former team for three players and a couple of draft selections. “I am overwhelmed, simply overwhelmed. It’s happened, exceeding my wildest dreams and Elaine and I are tickled to death. It’s like going home, going home to Minnesota, to play with a great team, a contender in the National Football League,” Tarkenton said. In exchange for Tarkenton, the Giants received wide receiver Bob Grim, quarterback Norm Snead, running back Vince Clements, the Vikings 1972 1st round draft pick and their 1973 2nd round draft pick. Tarkenton, a six-time pro bowler, time with the Giants had come to an end. Tarkenton entered into a salary dispute with the Giants last off-season just before their opening exhibition game against the Houston Oilers. Even though Tarkenton was signed to a new deal, it did not sit well with Giants owner Wellington Mara, who never forgave him. Vikings general manager Jim Finks was in Minnesota when Tarkenton was traded to the Giants five years ago. “This one was a totally different type of deal. In 1967, we gave up a proven quarterback for four intangibles, for four draft choices. In 1967, we were selling. We were at a disadvantage because Tarkenton had said he wanted to leave our club. This time New York was doing the selling,” Finks said. In the five seasons that Tarkenton was in New York, the Vikings had a lot of success. After finishing 3-8-3 in 1967, the Vikings won their division four seasons (1968-1971) in a row. They earned a trip to Super Bowl IV but fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 23-7. But now the Vikings offense has been inconsistent since quarterback Joe Kapp left for the then Boston Patriots after the 1969 NFL season. Despite having two straight divisional playoff games at home, they lost both times: 17-14 to the San Francisco 49ers (1970), and 20-12 to the Dallas Cowboys (1971). Quarterbacks Gary Cuozzo, Bob Lee and Snead spent time as starters after Kapp left but could not hold onto the starting job. But now Snead was heading to New York, Cuozzo was no longer under contract leaving Lee as the only remaining quarterback with Tarkenton. Vikings head coach Bud Grant said, “A healthy offensive team would help us more than a change in quarterbacks. I don’t want this to appear as a salvation. We’ll have to be much better to equal our 1971 record (11-3) next season.” The Vikings defense allowed just 9.9 points per game while the offense managed 17.5 points per game. #fran #nfl #vikings #giants

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Monday 27 January 2025 15:30:11 GMT