Former Vikings All-Pro QB Tommy Kramer goes public with dementia diagnosis

Tommy Kramer, a star quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings in the 80s, announced Wednesday he was diagnosed with dementia.

In a post on X, Kramer said he decided to go public after Brett Favre shared Tuesday he was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease.

Kramer, 69, said he received his diagnosis a year ago from doctors at the NFL Cleveland Clinic and was told he could have anywhere from two to 10 years to live.

Advertisement Just had my year check up and it hasnt advanced and Ive been sober for almost a year now which will definitely help, Kramer wrote on X.

Please, no sympathy, Ive lived a great life and wouldnt change a thing.

Nobody wanted to win more than me and I never gave up, and thats exactly how Im going to battle this.

With Brett Favre announcement yesterday, I feel its best I let everyone know that I was diagnosed with dementia just over a year ago at the NFL Cleveland Clinic.

Drs say I could have anywhere from 2 to 10 years, just had my year check up and it hasnt advanced and Ive been...

Tommy Kramer (@Kramer9Tommy) September 25, 2024 On Tuesday, Favre shared news of his Parkinsons diagnosis as he spoke to the House Ways and Means Committee.

In a social media post Tuesday night, he said the diagnosis has been an ideal and thanked his wife, family, friends and supporters for their well wishes.

Kramer on Wednesday acknowledged the connection between his decades of playing football and his diagnosis.

Football is the life we chose to live and sometimes stuff like this can happen, Kramer wrote.

Im grateful to the NFL for the opportunity and am glad they are trying to do things to protect todays players.

Financially Im fine, but I know there are players out there who I played with that need all the help they can get.

Unfortunately for me, the NFL will only try to help out with any of my medical bills and therapy what my personal insurance wont cover.

Im hoping to bring some awareness so the NFL will be able to help others and future players who are battling illnesses like myself.

Before his 14 seasons in the NFL, 13 of which were with Minnesota and the final with the New Orleans Saints , Kramer had a legendary career at Robert E.

Lee High School in San Antonio and then starred at Rice University.

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

He was drafted in the first round in 1977 as the heir apparent to Fran Tarkenton and took over the starting role in 1979.

He became a fan favorite and earned the nickname Two-Minute Tommy for his penchant for leading late comebacks.

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

Its still all about the fans for me, as long as Im able, Im going to continue to be out there and travel to the small towns which I love most and meet the fans, Kramer wrote.

Required reading (Photo: Otto Greule / Allspor).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.