Bleacher Report called former Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and Randall Cunningham two of the best players in the history of the NFL.
Training camp still hasn’t started for the Minnesota Vikings, so for now fans are left looking at some of the lists and power rankings made by websites and sports outlets who analyze the game of football.
This year, the analysis seemed to be much more focused on the historical aspects of the game. Gil Brandt’s series on the best players at each position was a lot of fun, but Bleacher Report tried their hand at a list of the ‘best playmakers in NFL history’.
The sports and entertainment website used the following criteria to determine what a playmaker is:
"“These are the players who made things happen with the ball in their hands, year in and year out, with or without a quality supporting cast. Some of them redefined NFL strategies. A few infuriated their own coaches as much as they vexed opponents. All of them provided many unforgettable moments.”"
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Fran Tarkenton was listed at #16 on their countdown, giving much praise to his ability to keep plays alive by scrambling and make plays with his feet or his arm. They compared him to Russell Wilson, which is a huge compliment considering the era when Tarkenton was playing football.
Randall Cunningham showed up at #6 on the list. Much like Tarkenton, Bleacher Report praised his elusive ability as well as his passing numbers, making him another dual-threat quarterback.
Also on the list was Hugh McElhenny, who tied with Joe Perry at #17. McElhenny spent 2 of his 13 years in the NFL as a running back with Minnesota, but is best known as part of the ‘Million Dollar Backfield’ for the San Francisco 49ers.
Next: The Vikings' most intriguing training camp storylines for 2017
Congratulations to Fran Tarkenton, Randall Cunningham, and Hugh McElhenny on making this list of top playmakers ever to play in the NFL and kudos go out to Bleacher Report’s Mike Tanier on making such a great list.