Tarkenton

“Being in L.A. was a big deal, it was a fun city to be in,” Tarkenton recalled.

“I love Fran,” Rams defensive end Fred Dryer said once of Tarkenton, his former New York Giants teammate.

Fran Tarkenton arrived in New York City exhausted, dispirited and maybe a little confused.

Win or lose, Tarkenton had made a pregame commitment to “Saturday Night Live,” NBC’s edgy, late-night comedy show that debuted a year earlier and turns 50 on Friday.

The lanky future Hall of Famer was unfazed by the football-themed cold open that featured John Belushi as coach and fellow “SNL” superstars Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd and Gilda Radner among Tarkenton’s teammates.