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Tag: Fran Tarkenton

  • Fran Tarkenton: Manziel Has Franchise Qualities, But Has Questionable Character

    Former NFL quarterback Fran Tarkenton sees himself in Johnny Manziel, and has no doubt that the former Texas A&M quarterback can make plays in the league. Whether Manziel has the qualities to become a leader is a different story.

    Manziel is being considered as one of the NFL’s top three quarterback prospects, together with Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater and Central Florida’s Blake Bortles.

    Some say that Manziel’s small frame isn’t ideal for the big league, but Tarkenton, himself slightly smaller than other players during his heyday, thinks size isn’t a problem, as long as one knows how to play the game. And being a prime quarterback is something Manziel can definitely do.

    Tarkenton considers Manziel to be a quarterback savant, but he knows that on-field talent is not enough, especially now that the NFL clubs are evaluating probable new players. “You look at your great players, they have to be leaders in the clubhouse and off the field,” Tarkenton said. They don’t necessarily need to be pious churchgoers, but “They have to have character.”

    Manziel stands to be a high-reward, but also a high-risk draft pick because of his questionable character. Last summer, he had to prematurely leave the Manning Passing Academy because he overslept, making him miss a morning meeting. Manziel has also been known to have a bad-boy image, if the “exploits” he posted on social media were any indication.

    Tarkenton commented that he would have to spend more time with the young player so that he could understand him better. He had already seen what Manziel can do on the field, but character is another matter. Manziel’s off-field behavior could be a problem, Tarkenton said, if Manziel would be drafted in the league. “There’s never been a great quarterback I know of who was a rodent,” Tarkenton added.

    During his prime, Tarkenton played 18 seasons, leading the Minnesota Vikings to three appearances at the Super Bowl. When he retired, he owned every major quarterback record.

    Johnny Manziel’s Character May Be Questionable But His Game Isn’t!

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  • Fran Tarkenton Sees Doppelganger in Johnny Manziel

    Perhaps no college football has been scrutinized more than Johnny Manziel. The former Texas A&M quarterback dazzled in the spotlight during his two years in college, providing college football fans enough excitement to last them through at least one off-season. While Manziel has earned the nickname “Johnny Football” due to this unusual athletic feats on the field, many NFL experts and executives still doubt whether or not the former Aggie will be able to make it at the next level. There is one former NFL great who has no doubts, however – Fran Tarkenton.

    In a recent interview with USA Today, Tarkenton states, “Nobody really played like I played. This kid plays like I did more than anybody else.”

    Such a statement coming from Tarkenton is not one to be laughed at. Tarkenton played 18 seasons in the NFL for both the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. By the time Tarkenton retired in 1978, he owned almost every important quarterback record on the books. In his stellar career, Tarkenton racked up 3,686 completions for 47,003 yards and 342 touchdowns through the air, adding another 3,674 yards rushing to combine for over 50,000 total career yards.

    And he did so facing almost all the same criticisms currently plaguing Manziel.

    The biggest beef NFL scouts have against Manziel’s game is potentially his size. At the NFL combine, Manziel measured in at 5-foot-11 and 3/4 inches tall and 207 pounds – a mere 1/4 inch shorter than Tarkenton but 17 pounds heavier.

    “People are going to say, ‘Well, he’s only 5-11¾ tall. I wasn’t as big, strong and fast as all these other players. But I knew how to play,” states Tarkenton.

    From his career college stat line, one cannot deny that Manziel knows how to play as well. In his two years at Texas A&M, Manziel threw for 7,820 yards with 63 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. These numbers helped Manziel to destroy Alabama’s No. 1 defense in two consecutive years and led to the Aggie winning the Heisman Trophy in his freshman season.

    Despite all of the skill and accolades Manziel has received, there are still those who hold many doubts as to whether Manziel will be a successful NFL quarterback. While some question if Manziel will be big enough to compete at a more physically demanding level, most question if Manziel is mature enough to handle the responsibility of being an NFL quarterback.

    “The things that went on last year with him leaving the Manning camp and other activities, I just want to understand that a little better. Everything I’ve seen of the kid, I love… But you’ve got to make sure. Because there’s never been a great quarterback I know of who was a rodent,” opined Tarkenton.

    The discrepancies in the analysis of “Johnny Football” have led to an insanely diverse set of opinions as to when Manziel will be selected in this year’s NFL Draft; Some scouts have Manziel being chosen by the Houston Texans as the first overall pick, while others have college football’s most dynamic quarterback slipping all the way to the third round.

    Whatever the result of the 2014 NFL Draft, one thing is for certain – the ever-constant analysis of Johnny Manziel is not going to cease anytime soon.

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