When Fran Tarkenton stood up for Mick Tingelhoff at his NFL Hall of Fame induction, tears were flowing because their friendship was even bigger than the award.

In the years when Mick Tingelhoff played professional football, many of the players held second or day jobs. This wasn’t greed. It was basic survival, especially for those married with children. For pro    football players in the 1950s and early 1960s, when Tingelhoff joined the Minnesota Vikings from the University of Nebraska, most of the contracts read $12,000 a year, or less.

I wrote professional football during the 17 seasons when Mick Tingelhoff played, watching a career that culminated this month when he was elevated to the highest honor in professional football, the National Football League Hall of Fame.

I served for a number of years on the board that makes the Hall of Fame selections. I can tell you that, with the exception of the superstars who are obvious choices, it can be a grind to get there. This is especially true for players like Mick who worked the less glamorous positions.  Playing center — snapping the ball to the quarterback then blocking 300-pound linemen — can be demanding and on the edge of self-destructive.

It helps to have friends.

In the years I covered pro football, I didn’t know of a more genuine, nor uncommon friendship than the one between Mick Tingelhoff and Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton was the quarterback, a gregarious, finger-snapping kind of guy, the one who on the field or elsewhere, made it happen. He was invariably in the middle of all the action, known for his scrambling, let-me-out-of-here hairline escapes 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

But he could play. He made it into the Hall of Fame years ago — and deserved it — as one of the great touchdown passers in pro history.  He could also talk and write.  He had opinions and he vetted them. We wrote a book together in which we would alternate the chapters and, rather miraculously, remain friends.

On football trips Tarkenton’s roommate was Mick Tingelhoff. Mick was relatively quiet, but they knew each other very well, and shared some of small absurdities of the vagabond life they lived in football season.

And they trusted each other at the line of scrimmage.

So when Fran lobbied for Mick to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, it wasn’t lip service.

He talked to the Hall of Fame people. He talked to whomever might be a voter. He talked as a man who had seen Mick Tingelhoff make his own block on the line of scrimmage then double up to help a struggling teammate.

At the Hall of Fame gathering, Mick’s friend knew the years of pounding had slowed his memory. Francis and Mick and the family agreed it was all right if Francis offered the acceptance speech for his friend.

It was a short, emotional speech.  Tarkenton was fighting back the tears as he stood up for his friend who had to wait 37 years for this honor. [See the video of the speech below.]

They stood there together in a moment of bittersweet glory. Two Hall of Famers. Two friends.  Still teammates to the very end.