Tarkenton: Brady & Manning Getting Old, Ponder Will Be A Star

Feb 3, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFL former quarterback Fran Tarkenton gives an interview on radio row for Super Bowl week. The New York Giants will play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI . Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Former Vikings and Hall of Fame Quarterback Fran Tarkenton ran his mouth again. While doing his Tark Talk for the Pioneer Press he said something a bit on the wild side in that Peyton Manning and Tom Brady “are getting old.”

“We don’t want our heroes to get old,” Tarkenton said. “And I think Tom Brady and Peyton Manning when you look at the greatest quarterbacks ever to play; you put them in the mix. They have been sensational. But we get hurt and we get older. And things don’t work as well. We don’t quite have the fastball or the touch or the quickness of feet. And you see them in their bodies and their jerseys and you think, God, they look the same. But they’re not. I saw Peyton do things against the Falcons I’ve never seen him do before. He threw into coverage, he looked like he was confused and didn’t quite have the arm strength. Brady hasn’t looked like Brady in two years. And that’s what happens.”

Tarkenton goes onto talk about how quarterbacks are playing at a younger age these days specifically mentioning Robert Griffin II, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and our very own Christian Ponder who Tarkenton believes “will be a star in this league.”

Oh Fran. Anyone who’s in the Hall of Fame is going to get media appearances, however he’s a bit off his rocker in this interview. Brady certainly had a rough week losing to the Arizona Cardinals, but had the second best season of his career throwing for over 5000 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2011. Tarkenton also states that Matt Kalil will be a great tackle in this league already comparing him to Ron Yary and praises the Wilfs for wanting continuity in the leadership department.

As to if Frazier is the head coach for a long time, Ponder becomes a star and Kalil goes on for greatness; that all has to play out. But someone else is getting a little old here. We just hope these Tark Talks keep rolling. It’s great blog material.

Jon Merckle may be followed on Twitter @thevikingpig