Erik Kramer

Kramer played in 13 games, led the Lions to a 12–4 record, their first playoff victory since 1962, and a trip to the NFC Championship Game.

Kramer played quarterback at Pierce College, but became interested in transferring to NC State when the school won the national basketball title.

He played two seasons for NC State, starting all 11 games both seasons.

William Erik Kramer (born November 6, 1964) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).

He attended John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California.

After attending Pierce College and playing as their quarterback, Kramer transferred to North Carolina State University.

His 1985 junior season he compiled just a 3–8 record, though he led the ACC in completions (189), attempts (339), and passing yards (2,510).

His senior year, despite slightly less offensive output (145–227 for 2,092 yards), saw the team improve to 8–3–1.

Though NC State lost the 1986 Peach Bowl by one point to Virginia Tech, Kramer was still named player of the game.

He was not drafted by an NFL team, but did see action in 1987, when he played for the Atlanta Falcons as a replacement player during the NFL players strike.

He would then spend some time in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders.

Kramer signed with New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1987 following the 1987 NFL Draft.

After being released by the Saints, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1987 during the player strike.

He appeared in three games as one of five quarterbacks to start for the Falcons that season.

In the last of these, he set four franchise rookie records with 27 completions on 46 attempts for 335 yards and three touchdowns.

He played with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) for three years from 1988 to 1990.

He threw for 964 yards, five touchdowns, and thirteen interceptions.

Kramer would return to the NFL in 1991, when he became a surprise starter for the Detroit Lions after injuries sidelined Rodney Peete.

After his three year stint in the CFL, he returned to the NFL in 1991 as a some-time starter for the Detroit Lions, compiling a 10–5 record over three seasons.

Kramer's nickname in Detroit was "Brass", a media-friendly redaction of "brass balls".

The moniker apparently originated after Kramer called an audible on his first series as Lions' quarterback, having just replaced the injured Rodney Peete.

One Lions' offensive lineman turned to another and said, "This guy's got brass balls."

Kramer proved to be quite successful as a signal-caller in 1991 and the nickname stuck.

His other nickname was "Cosmo", which was due to him having the same last name as the character Cosmo Kramer from the popular TV show, Seinfeld.

He shared QB duties with Peete and Andre Ware.

In the 1991 playoffs, he led the team to a 38–6 drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys, on a franchise postseason record 29 completions for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

He also had the team's only touchdown in a loss to the Washington Redskins in the championship game.

Combined with a loss in the 1993 postseason, he holds the career franchise postseason records for touchdowns (5 with Tobin Rote), passer rating (99.2), sacks (9), and yards per attempt (8.2) as well.

In 1994, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears, and spent the next five years there.

In his two full seasons as a starter (1995 and 1997), Kramer was highly productive and passed for over 3,000 yards.

Though he also missed much of the 1996 season with a neck injury, the two injuries were unrelated.

Kramer finished his 10 NFL seasons with 1,317 completions for 15,337 yards and 92 touchdowns, with 79 interceptions.

He also rushed for 217 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns.

After retiring from the NFL, Kramer went into sports broadcasting, covering the Detroit Lions as an in-studio analyst and then the Chicago Bears.

Kramer appeared as himself in an episode of Married... with Children, during which the series' protagonist, Al Bundy, sells his soul in order to lead the Bears to the Super Bowl.

Kramer currently holds the Bears' single-season record for passing yards (3,838) and touchdown passes (29), and attempts in a single game with 60 on November 16, 1997.

Kramer signed with the San Diego Chargers in the 1999 offseason, but retired midseason due to a neck injury.

On October 30, 2011, Kramer's 18-year-old son, Griffen, a senior at Thousand Oaks High School, was found dead at a friend's home from a heroin overdose.

This included a dramatic Hail Mary game-winning pass to defeat South Carolina in game 8 to take them to their highest ranking of the season at 15th.

On the season, Kramer had 14 passing touchdowns and ran for five more, and was named ACC Player of the Year.