Well-Traveled Kramer Shows Heart of a Lion

Despite being cut twice and suffering a serious knee injury, Erik Kramer never lost faith in his ability to play quarterback in the National Football League.

It paid off for the former Burroughs High and Pierce College standout last month when he signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions.

“It feels great to throw an NFL ball again instead of that big balloon they have in Canada,” said Kramer, who participated in the Lions’ recent mini-camp in Tampa, Fla.

The mini-camp was Kramer’s first football action since partially tearing ligaments in his left knee during a scrimmage with the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders last summer. He was the team’s starting quarterback at the time.

“I didn’t think it needed to happen,” Kramer said. “I knew going in, it was risky to have a live scrimmage. But that’s the breaks. You just have to play the cards you’re dealt.”

Kramer said the injury occurred when a defensive lineman rolled into him after he released a pass.

“We had just one starting offensive lineman returning,” Kramer said. “The starting left tackle was a tight end in college and had never played offensive line before. He had already gotten beat a few times.”

Kramer underwent arthroscopic surgery, which kept him out the entire season. When his CFL contract expired, he sent videotapes of his play to several NFL teams.

“I got some feedback from Detroit, Washington and Tampa Bay,” Kramer said. “I worked out for Detroit and made the decision from there. I feel like I have a pretty good shot there.”

Kramer, 25, is among six quarterbacks competing for what is expected to be three roster positions.

The others are Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware of Houston; former USC star Rodney Peete, the starter most of last season; former Hoover High and Glendale College standout Bob Gagliano, who sparked the Lions’ season-ending five-game winning streak; Eric Jones, who spent last season on the developmental squad; and former starter Chuck Long, who is asking to be traded.

“The coaches say all the quarterbacks will share equal time in practice, and that’s where I’ll have to build my base,” said Kramer, an honorable-mention All-American at Pierce in 1984 when he led the Brahmas to a 10-1 season. “That will give me the chance to develop a good foundation going into the preseason games. Once I get into the preseason, I know I can put on a pretty good show.”

Kramer’s pro football odyssey began in 1987 after signing with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent out of North Carolina State. After his release at the end of training camp, Kramer became a hot commodity two weeks later when NFL teams were seeking replacement players during the players’ strike. Kramer opted for the Atlanta Falcons, for whom he started two games and passed for 335 yards and three touchdowns in an upset of a veteran Rams team.

The Falcons kept Kramer after the strike, but he did not play another regular-season game. Kramer was relased the week of Atlanta’s 1988 regular-season opener.

He signed with the Stampeders in October and started five games, completing 62 of 153 passes for 964 yards and five touchdowns.