A Defeat, a Death and an Injury Make 1986 a Very Bad Year for Dieter Brock

“It’s been a year I’d like to forget,” Dieter Brock says.

First, there was the NFC title game at Chicago in January when he got the blame for the Rams’ 24-0 defeat.

Then, in training camp, his back went out.

Then, when he came back, he injured a knee, clearing the way for Steve Bartkowski to become the starting quarterback.

Then, his older brother, Bill, died suddenly in Birmingham, Ala.

The one constant factor has been the pain in his lower back, where, doctors say, a disk is slightly herniated.

“I haven’t been able to do anything,” Brock said Tuesday. “It’s been like this for over a year now. My back’s always stiff. It’s worse when I go out and throw, so I’m not even throwing now.”

The San Francisco 49er physicians recommended surgery for Joe Montana’s similar problem. The Rams’ doctors are recommending special exercises.

“(That’s) because I’m not getting any pain in my legs, like if you had a really badly herniated disk,” Brock said. “I hate to sound pessimistic, but I’ve done a lot of exercises throughout the off-season and they didn’t seem to do a hell of a lot of good. But I’ll continue with whatever they suggest. I feel like it’s getting worse, and I just can’t continue.”

He said he also hurt his shoulder last year.

“My back was killing me, but I felt like I had to get in there to show that I could play. I was so stiff in my hips that I was using all arm.

Brock thinks the Ram deal for Jim Everett last week was a good one.

“They got a guy with a lot of potential who should be their guy for the future,” he said. “Maybe the present, the way things are going.”