Zeke Bratkowski

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Zeke Bratkowski
refer to caption
Bratkowski in June 2008.
No. 12
Position: Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1931-10-20) October 20, 1931 (age 93)
Place of birth: Danville, Illinois
Height: Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value).
Weight: Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value).
Career information
High school: Danville (IL) Schlarman
College: Georgia
NFL draft: 1953 / Round: 2 / Pick: 17
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Pass attempts: 1,484
Pass completions: 762
Percentage: 51.3
TD–INT: 65–122
Passing yards: 10,345
QB Rating: 54.3
Player stats at NFL.com

Edmund Raymond "Zeke" Bratkowski (born October 20, 1931) is a former All-American quarterback at the University of Georgia from 1952 to 1953. He also had a fourteen-year career in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, L.A. Rams and Green Bay Packers, followed by a 26-year coaching career. He is the father of former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski.

Playing career

Bratkowski began his playing career at Schlarman High School. He was twice the SEC passing leader under Georgia coach Wally Butts. During his three-year career with the Bulldogs, he completed 360 passes for 4,863 yards. Bratkowski was considered one of college football's greatest quarterbacks of his day and was the NCAA's all-time leading passer until 1961. Today, Bratkowski still ranks sixth on Georgia's list of career passing leaders. He also led the NCAA in punting his senior year with a 42.6 yard average.

He was drafted by the Chicago Bears and played five seasons in Chicago. He played for the Los Angeles Rams for three years before being signed by Vince Lombardi for the $100 waiver fee to become the "super sub" to Bart Starr. In Green Bay, he was nicknamed "Uncle Zekie." He became an ideal backup and spot starter during the Lombardi championship era. In a 15-year NFL career, Bratkowski passed for 10,345 yards and 65 touchdowns.

In the 1965 Western Division championship game versus the Baltimore Colts, Bratkowski relieved the injured Bart Starr and led the Packers to a 13-10 victory. The Packers went on to win the 1965 NFL Championship against the Cleveland Browns, in a game played on January 2, 1966.

A superbly conditioned athlete, Bratkowski was an early advocate of aerobic training for pro football players. After his playing career, he served two stints as Packer assistant coach, from 1969-’70 and from 1975-’81. He also coached the Browns, Rams, Jets and Eagles, retiring in 1996.

Coaching career

After his playing career, Bratkowski became quarterback coach/offensive coordinator for Chicago, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and with the New York Jets. He was also a quarterbacks coach with Cleveland and the Jets and worked two stints as a Packers assistant as well as the Baltimore Ravens.

While Bratkowski was coaching the Chicago Bears quarterbacks during the 1973 season, head coach Abe Gibron abruptly promoted him to offensive coordinator. Gibron shortly after pressed him into service for one game as a backup quarterback.

Hall of Fame

He was inducted into the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1980, and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1995, Bratkowski was elected to the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.

See also

External links

Preceded by Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator
1993-94		 Succeeded by
Jon Gruden
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Zeke_Bratkowski&oldid=4129186"