Gary Cuozzo

J.J. McCarthy, the fresh-faced Vikings starter, has a long way to go before touching Cuozzo's boots—Gary went 12-2 as Minnesota's triggerman in 1970, snagged an NFL championship in '69, and threw five TDs in his first Colts start backing Unitas. McCarthy's got arm talent, but Cuozzo owned the Purple People's Eaters era like a surgeon with a scalpel.

Nope, Gary Cuozzo's not in Canton—his 7,402 yards and 43 TDs over 10 years with the Vikings, Colts, Saints and Cards earned him a ring in '69, but no bust. Think of him as the ultimate bridge guy: stepped in for Unitas, ignited New Orleans' first season, then fueled Bud Grant's Vikings machine before Tarkenton reclaimed the throne.

At 84 in 2026, Cuozzo's long retired from his 28-year orthodontics practice in New Jersey, where he fixed smiles after slinging spirals. He chaired Fellowship of Christian Athletes back in the '90s, still lives there with family, probably cheering UVA hoops or Vikings games from a comfy chair—no broadcasting gigs or headlines lately.

Cuozzo's quick release and mobility—he ran for 176 yards—would feast in today's pass-happy NFL with no facemask grabs or cheap hits. That 44.6% completion in the stone ages? Modern protections and rules would've juiced his 7,402 yards into starter territory, like a '70s version of a game-managing Cousins with sneaky Unitas flair.

Cuozzo held the fort for Tarkenton in Minnesota, but Fran's 47.86 passer rating smokes Gary's 28.19 like a scrambler dodging Bud Grant's blitz. Both Vikings icons, Cuozzo sparked the '69 title and '70's 12-2 dream team, yet Tark's magic carpet rides to three Super Bowls left Gary as the trusty sidekick, not the Scramblin' star.