Bartkowski Believes His Career Is Ending After 12 NFL Seasons

Steve Bartkowski looks into the future and sees the end of his 12-year career as an NFL quarterback.

“I’m leaning toward not playing any more football. That’s basically what I’m feeling deep down inside,” Bartkowski, 34, said in an interview published in Thursday’s Atlanta Journal.

The Atlanta Falcons made Bartkowski the league’s top draft pick in 1975, and the 6-foot 4-inch quarterback, recognized as a superior passer, led the team for the next 10 years.

But five knee operations took their toll on Bartkowski’s mobility, and he was released during the 1985 season. He signed with Washington but did not play.

Last season, he started six games for the Rams, but injuries and the midseason signing of Jim Everett edged him out of the team’s quarterback picture, which also included veteran Steve Dils and first-year player Hugh Millen.

“It’s not a great situation for me. It just doesn’t have the same look to it as it did last year,” said Bartkowski, who earned $250,000 last season.

“We’re probably going to let Bart go,” Rams Coach John Robinson said. “We’re obviously going with Everett, but we’re going to have to give Hugh as many snaps as we can.”

STEVE BARTKOWSKI: YEAR BY YEAR

YEAR G ATT. COMP. YDS. PCT. TD INT. 1975 (Atlanta) 11 255 115 1,662 45.2 13 15 1976 (Atlanta) 5 120 57 677 47.5 2 9 1977 (Atlanta) 8 136 64 796 47.1 5 13 1978 (Atlanta) 14 369 187 2,489 50.7 10 18 1979 (Atlanta) 14 379 203 2,502 53.6 17 20 1980 (Atlanta) 16 463 257 3,544 55.5 31 16 1981 (Atlanta) 16 533 297 3,830 55.7 30 23 1982 (Atlanta) 9 262 166 1,905 63.4 8 11 1983 (Atlanta) 14 432 274 3,167 63.4 22 5 1984 (Atlanta) 11 269 181 2,158 67.3 11 10 1985 (Atl./Wash.) 5 111 69 738 62.2 5 1 1986 (Los Angeles) 6 126 61 654 48.4 2 3 Totals 129 3,455 1,931 24,122 55.9 156 144