MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer revealed Wednesday he was diagnosed with dementia more than a year ago.
The former Vikings' first-round pick posted on social media that doctors told him he "could have anywhere from 2 to 10 years," but added that the disease hadn't advanced when he went in for his one-year checkup.
"Nobody wanted to win more than me and I never gave up, and that's exactly how I'm going to battle this," Kramer wrote, in part. "Football is the life we chose to live and sometimes stuff like this can happen."
The news comes one day after Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre disclosed he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Favre discussed the diagnosis during a congressional hearing on Tuesday.
Kramer, 69, said in his post that the news about Favre influenced his decision to go public with his diagnosis, as well as some of the issues surrounding the medical expenses and what's covered and not covered by the NFL.
In his post, Kramer said he doesn't want any sympathy and hopes his story will encourage the NFL to do more to help players.
"Financially I'm fine, but I know there are players out there who I played with that need all the help they can get," Kramer posted. "Unfortunately for me, the NFL will only try to help out with any of my medical bills and therapy what my personal insurance won’t cover. I’m hoping to bring some awareness so the NFL will be able to help others and future players who are battling illnesses like myself."
Kramer played with the Vikings from 1977 to 1989 where he threw for 24,775 yards 159 touchdowns and 157 interceptions. He had a knack for comebacks, quickly earning the nickname "Two-Minute Tommy." According to Pro Football Reference, Kramer engineered 15 comebacks with the Vikings and 19 game-winning drives.
Jenna Fink with the Alzheimer's Association in Minnesota said when prominent people share their stories, it encourages other people to learn more about the disease.
“We really appreciate when people are willing to share this information because it helps bring awareness, helps to reduce stigma of the disease and helps to kind of reunite people in knowing that there are supportive resources that are available to them," Fink said.
Dr. Shauna Yuan, a neurologist at M Health Fairview, said more people are being diagnosed with dementia because people are living longer. She's noticed an increase in former athletes getting diagnosed with dementia at younger ages.
“I have treated football players and who have had long history of head traumas and I have noticed they can be quite young in their 40s which is unusual," she said.
Yuan said head injuries are a risk factor for dementia.
“People who have head injury in the past can have an increased chance for developing dementia later on in life," she said.
“The number of head injuries is also a very important contributor to dementia risks later on in life."
She said it's important for people to take their time when recovering from a head injury. She encourages people of have noticed changes in their cognition to reach out to their doctor and get evaluated. She said there are medications for treating dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
“We have a lot of advancements taking place we just haven’t yet found that cure," Fink said.
She said Alzheimer's Association has a number of resources including, support groups, community education class, a 24/7 helpline, and offering information on better understanding the 10 warning signs.
