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Former Vikings All-Pro QB Tommy Kramer makes his dementia diagnosis public

Tommy Kramer, a star quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in the 1980s, announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with dementia. In a post on X, Kramer said he decided to go public after Brett Favre announced Tuesday that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Kramer, 69, said he was diagnosed a year ago by doctors at the NFL Cleveland Clinic and was told he had between two and 10 years to live.

“I just had my annual checkup and it hasn't gotten any worse. Plus, I've been sober for almost a year now, which will definitely help,” Kramer wrote on X. “Please no pity, I've lived a great life and wouldn't change anything. No one wanted to win more than me and I've never given up, and that's exactly how I'm going to fight this.”

On Tuesday, Favre announced his Parkinson's diagnosis before the House Budget Committee. In a social media post Tuesday evening, he said the diagnosis had been “an ordeal” and thanked his wife, family, friends and supporters for their well wishes.

Kramer acknowledged Wednesday the connection between his decades of experience as a football player and his diagnosis.

“Football is the life we ​​want to live and sometimes things like this can happen,” Kramer wrote. “I'm grateful to the NFL for this opportunity and glad they're trying to do things to protect today's players. Financially, I'm OK, but I know there are players out there that I played with that need all the help they can get.”

“Unfortunately, the NFL is just trying to pay my medical bills and therapy costs that my private insurance doesn't cover. I hope that by doing this I can raise some awareness so that the NFL can help other and future players who are battling illnesses like mine.”

Before his 14 seasons in the NFL – 13 of them with Minnesota and the last with the New Orleans Saints – Kramer had a legendary career at Robert E. Lee High School in San Antonio and was then a star at Rice University.

With the Owls, he set a variety of school records, including most passing yards and touchdowns in his career, and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

He was drafted in the first round in 1977 as the designated successor to Fran Tarkenton and took over the starting position in 1979. He became a fan favorite and was nicknamed “Two-Minute Tommy” because of his penchant for late comebacks.

His best season was 1986, when he led the league in passer rating, threw for 3,000 yards with 24 touchdowns, was named Comeback Player of the Year, was named All-Pro, and made the Pro Bowl.

“For me, it's still all about the fans. As long as I can, I'll continue to be out there and travel to the small towns I love most and meet the fans,” Kramer wrote.

Required reading

(Photo: Otto Greule / Allspor)

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