About Erik Kramer
Erik Kramer was the 1986 ACC Player of the Year for the North Carolina State Wolfpack and an NFL quarterback for eleven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and San Diego Chargers. Renowned among rabid football fans in the 1990s, he guided the Lions to within one win of Super Bowl XXVI and set passing records for the Bears and Falcons that still stand.
In November 2023, Erik published his best-selling memoir, The Ultimate Comeback: Surviving a Suicide Attempt, Conquering Depression, and Living with a Purpose. In the book, Erik courageously chronicles his improbable rise to gridiron fame after going undrafted, his catastrophic plunge into the black hole of depression that had a grip on him for more than two decades, and his miraculous physical and mental recovery following his suicide attempt in 2015.
Erik is the father of Dillon Kramer and the late Griffen Kramer, and lives in Thousand Oaks, California. He enjoys reading, golfing, traveling, coaching football, and sharing his story with people young and old to help them overcome depression and other challenges in their lives.
Career Stats
- Played 11 years in the NFL and 2 in the CFL
- Holds season passing records for the Chicago Bears – Most yards (3,838) and TDs (29)
- 1991 Led Detroit Lions to a 12–4 record & NFC Central Division Title
- Only Lions QB to win a playoff game since 1957
- Set 4 franchise rookie records in his first year in Atlanta
- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year (NC State)
