About the Book
Renowned among rabid football fans in the 1990s, Erik Kramer guided the Detroit Lions to within one win of Super Bowl XXVI, set passing records for the Chicago Bears that still stand, and carved out a respectable eleven-year NFL career, despite being unrecruited in high school and undrafted out of college. But for more than two decades, during his playing days and beyond, Erik silently suffered from depression. On August 18, 2015, after the deaths of his son Griffen to a heroin overdose and his mother to cancer, Erik pressed the cold barrel of a loaded gun firmly under his chin, closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger. It was supposed to be the end.
Instead, it was a rebirth.
The Ultimate Comeback chronicles Erik's improbable rise to gridiron fame, his catastrophic plunge into the black hole of depression, and his miraculous physical and mental recovery following his suicide attempt. With empathy, sensitivity, and humor, Erik balances the grief from his darkest days with riveting stories of his upbringing and life as an NFL quarterback and reveals how, through grit and perseverance, he tackled the depression that nearly took his life.
About the Author :
Erik Kramer was the 1986 ACC Player of the Year for the North Carolina State Wolfpack and an NFL quarterback for eleven years with the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and San Diego Chargers. Erik led the Lions to the NFC Championship Game in the 1991-92 season; the team finished one victory shy of making it to Super Bowl XXVI. He still holds several team passing records with the Falcons and Bears. Erik is the father of Dillon and Griffen and lives in Agoura Hills, California. He enjoys reading, golfing, traveling, coaching football, and sharing his story with people young and old to help them overcome depression and other challenges in their lives. You can follow Erik and learn more about his life and mission on X (formerly Twitter) via @EKPass or on Facebook at facebook.com/erik.kramer.505. William Croyle is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a graduate of St. Ignatius High School and Ashland University. He and his wife have three sons and live in Erlanger, Kentucky. William is a former journalist for the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper and the author of thirteen nonfiction books written with and about some of the world's most inspirational people, including a school shooting survivor, a young mother with stage four cancer, and the last person found alive beneath the World Trade Center rubble after 9/11. You can read more about his books at www.williamcroyle.com or facebook.com/williamcroylebooks.
Review :
"Authors Erik Kramer and William Croyle unfold a gripping, well-written, deeply heartfelt, and emotional story. The Ultimate Comeback is a powerful short read that packs so much insight and education about depression." -READERS' FAVORITE BOOK REVIEWS
"Erik has come out the other side with a purpose and a story that can help thousands. Truly, thanks to him for telling a story that will save lives." -PETER KING, THREE-TIME NATIONAL SPORTS MEDIA ASSOCIATION SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
"Comeback stories dominate the games we love, but Erik Kramer's comeback is about life itself. I loved his football résumé, but his winning battle against the darker demons is what makes his story a great read." -BRENT MUSBURGER, FORMER CBS, ABC, AND ESPN BROADCASTER
"I covered Erik as a player and sat beside him on television as a teammate, but after reading this book, I now know that I didn't know Erik at all. But neither did he. I'm in awe of Erik's vulnerability, sharing his story with the world, and turning his pain into purpose." -LAURA OKMIN, NFL ON FOX SIDELINE REPORTER
"It is a riveting tale of effort, success, failure, self-destruction, and rebirth. It is both heartbreaking and heart-warming, terrible and heroic. Ultimately, it is about the eternal quest for love-of friends, family, self, and, yes, life itself." -RICK TELANDER, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES SENIOR SPORTS COLUMNIST
"With striking candidness, Erik Kramer writes about football, fatherhood, failed relationships, and dances with death. There is tragedy in his words, but ultimately, this is a story about redemption." -DAN POMPEI, NFL SENIOR WRITER FOR THE ATHLETIC
"As men, we don't often talk about our mental health. Erik has reminded us that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but an act of strength!" -RODNEY PEETE, NFL QUARTERBACK (1989-2004) AND COHOST OF ROGGIN AND RODNEY
"Erik Kramer was known for his comebacks in the NFL, but nothing compares to what he's gone through-and returned from-in life. This is an engrossing read and one of the most compelling and important stories you'll ever read." -DAN WETZEL, NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND YAHOO SPORTS NATIONAL COLUMNIST
"This story is one that must be told and Erik Kramer does just that, putting it all on the line as he did his life to share with us. No matter how bad it gets, there is always a way and a purpose to get through it!" -CHRIS MYERS, FOX SPORTS BROADCASTER FOR THE NFL, MLB, AND NASCAR
"I'm proud to see what Erik's doing with his second chance at life. This book will help a lot of people." -BARRY SANDERS, DETROIT LIONS RUNNING BACK (1989-98) AND PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE (2004)
"The Ultimate Comeback tells the story of Erik's challenges, his recoveries, and his insistence to keep moving the chains." -JON WERTHEIM, SENIOR WRITER FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED AND 60 MINUTES CORRESPONDENT
"EK's story is tragic and miraculous all at the same time. Hopefully, by chronicling his journey, many others will see that the 'light' is greater than the 'darkness.'" -MIKE COFER, NFL KICKER (1987-95) AND SUPER BOWL CHAMPION (XXIII, XXIV)
