Falcons’ Bartkowski selected to College Hall of Fame
Steve Bartkowski was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame Tuesday, one of 17 inductees.
Bartkowski, the Falcons’ record holder for passing yards and touchdowns, played for California and was an All-American in 1974, the year he led the nation in passing with 2,580 yards.
The college hall is no small honor. An estimated 4.86 million individuals have played college football, and only 900 have been inducted.
Bartkowski lettered for the Golden Bears 1972-74, after which the Falcons made him the first overall pick in the 1975 draft, and was also an All-American first baseman in 1973. Bartkowski was in New York Tuesday for the news conference.
Two other former Falcons were also honored. Former BYU quarterback Ty Detmer, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1990 and was a backup quarterback on the Falcons roster 2004-05 , and former Kansas State linebacker Mark Simoneau, a third-round pick by the Falcons in 2000, were also named to the hall. Simoneau, a consensus All-American in 1999 and the Big 12 defensive player of the year, played three seasons for the Falcons.
Check back for updates.
– Ken Sugiura
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82 comments Add your comment
Seen ThisB4
May 15th, 2012
12:24 pm
First!
Big Albany Dawg
May 15th, 2012
12:31 pm
OUTSTANDING! Well done and thanks for the memories Steve.
Seen ThisB4
May 15th, 2012
12:40 pm
Wasn’t Bartkowski the douche that threw the Big Ben throws at the Saints? I think it was, no good for nothing S.O.B.! I bet you remember those!
PMC
May 15th, 2012
12:42 pm
Next step would be getting Tommy Nobis in to the pro football HOF.
don
May 15th, 2012
12:44 pm
Still the best Falcons QB ever…the best and most consistent long passer I’ve ever seen. Way to go, Bart!!!
Paddy
May 15th, 2012
12:47 pm
Seen This B4…….very tasteful. and sooooo much class and upbringing. Did you have parents???
Shug
May 15th, 2012
12:50 pm
Peachtree Bart, the legend continues.
DawgInaTruck
May 15th, 2012
12:52 pm
Congratulations to Bart. Well deserved.
Seen ThisB4
May 15th, 2012
12:54 pm
Paddy: I’m referring to Bartkowski, one of the nemesis of the Saints from yesteryear AND the topic of conversation here. I’m not going to honor him, but I will remember some of his performances. Please try to stay on point.
Billy
May 15th, 2012
1:05 pm
Great player to bad he had to get heck beat out of him before they finally decided to draft some linemen to protect him, then that idiot Dan Henning disassembled a good football team or gave to his former boss Joe Gibbs one of Washington’s Superbowl because of players they got from Atlanta. I agree with PMC if they put the linebacker from the saints in the HOF he was not a patch to Tommy Nobis i saw a program on NFL network talking previous linemen said they much rather go against Butkus over trying to block Nobis.
Gene
May 15th, 2012
1:07 pm
Bart was a great Falcon who turned out to be a great guy. He lived in Atlanta last I heard and did much for the community. Good luck, #10.
Gene
May 15th, 2012
1:08 pm
Same for Tommy Nobis!
Hudd
May 15th, 2012
1:12 pm
Bart was an excellent player. In a decent organization — which the Falcons weren’t for his entire career — he’d be among the all-time greats. Great honor for a terrific person.
Hawk
May 15th, 2012
1:20 pm
Congratulations Peachtree Bart.
Rick James
May 15th, 2012
1:29 pm
I thought he was called “Buckhead” Bart?!
kcfalcon
May 15th, 2012
1:30 pm
Seen this B4- If you are old enough to remember Bart from those games of the late 70s and early 80s you are old enough to act like you’ve matured (even if it’s just a little bit). Are you 12? Did you not grow up?
Why don’t you simply enjoy your team and the Super Bowl it won? Lurking over here on a Falcons site is just weak. Have some class.
Spanky
May 15th, 2012
1:36 pm
Absolutely!! Good ole #10 deserves the honor! Rankin Smith’s leadership was the “hole in the raft!” Imagine how he would do under an Arthur Blank….
Runnin with the Dawgs
May 15th, 2012
1:39 pm
Congratulations Steve ! You were a great NCAA qb.
Spanky
May 15th, 2012
1:42 pm
Guys, this “B4″ dipwad is one those trolls(probly a Tech fan, usually on the Dawg blogs), who just enjoys getting a rise outta folks…just ignore him long enough, anf the library will kick him out…
Delbert D.
May 15th, 2012
1:54 pm
Rankin Smith’s leadership was a hole in the universe.
30 yrs Falcons Fan
May 15th, 2012
1:56 pm
Hey Spanky I agree with you about B4 but being a Tech fan please don’t compare him to us. I would never go on a Dawgs blog. We should just ignore him and all the other dipwads likehim.
Good job Steve it is a well deserved honor.
John Galt
May 15th, 2012
1:59 pm
Folks, lay off “Seen this B4″- I believe that his comment was tongue-in-cheek, sort of a Saint’s fan acknowledgement of Bart’s accomplishments against his team.
Yes, those Big Ben throws to Alfred Jenkins, Alfred Jackson and Billy Johnson (if my mind isn’t failing me) provided some exciting ends to some games. Bartkowski ran the last true vertical passing game that the Falcons ran successfully.
ozzfest
May 15th, 2012
2:03 pm
I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A VIDEO OF “BIG BEN RIGHT” ON YOUTUBE FOR YEARS…..ANYBODY GOT IT???
Sturgis Glickman
May 15th, 2012
2:06 pm
And he had the best nickname of all time for an Atlanta Quarterback-The Downtown Connector.
teamguy
May 15th, 2012
2:08 pm
Anyone else remember the yearly tradition when the college all-stars played the reigning NFL champs? I believe Bart played in the last one, and helped beat the Steelers, I think. Bartkowski and Andrews, my all time favorite players.
Big Dog 89
May 15th, 2012
2:12 pm
The greatest Falcon QB of all time.
Great job Bart…a class act.
Paddy
May 15th, 2012
2:16 pm
I am not interested in staying on point with anything you have to say. You have proven by previous posts that you can never say anything positive . I blame myself for wasting time w/your nonsense.
OUT
Gritz Blitz
May 15th, 2012
2:17 pm
Steve Bartkowski was my childhood hero, and he is receiving a well deserved honor. He played with class and gave us long-time Falcon fans many cherishable memories. Number 10 holds a very special place in my heart.
Spanky
May 15th, 2012
2:20 pm
Yes, Bart-to-Billy (White Shoes) Johnson..where he baaaarely got across the goal line. I believe that was against the 49ers. Does anyone know if that was the Jeff Van Note years?
Delbert- LOL!!
30 yr Fan- Agreed…Also, do you think Steve Bart coulda done a better job than Miller in our only Super Bowl appearance?
Paddy
May 15th, 2012
2:22 pm
teamguy….attended one game at Soldiers Field, ‘64 or ‘65 vs the Packers. the game was called in the 2nd 1/2 because of a terrible storm. Memory is a little vague on when the games were cancelled. Don’t believe Bart played in that game. Belive they were history by then but I could be all wrong on that.
Bob
May 15th, 2012
2:25 pm
How is Tommy Frazier not in the Hall of Fame. Maybe it was the murder he inflicted on 11 Florida Gators in 95 out in Tempe. Seriously though, Tommy Kramer of Rice and no Tommy Frazier?
What kinda fan r u
May 15th, 2012
2:34 pm
Hey Spanky Chris Chandler was the QB when the Falcons played in the Super Bowl,not Miller
dean
May 15th, 2012
2:35 pm
It was Chris Chandler not Miller (whatever happened to Chris Miller?), who was our QB in the SB.
Falconfever
May 15th, 2012
2:36 pm
Totally agree Big Dog 89… The BEST Falcon QB of all time!!!!!! I know our chances are slim but would love to see him in Canton.
Spanky
May 15th, 2012
2:52 pm
Dean, thanks! I’m getting the mediocre ones mixed-up, evidently! LOL!!…”What kinda fan r u”??..okay, you got me..not a good one! Happy now??
Larry
May 15th, 2012
2:54 pm
One of the strongest arms ever. Great guy and QB. Had to run for his life playing early with the Falcons.
Spanky
May 15th, 2012
3:00 pm
Do ya’ll remember Mick Luckhurst? The last time I saw Steve, was with Mick doing an appearance for …..(wait for it)… Power 99!! LOL
Dr. Warren
May 15th, 2012
3:03 pm
The Dallas playoff game in 1980 season ruined my childhood! Bartkowski was the best qb in the NFL that year, and we were 12-4, but bad cornerbacks lost the game for us. Sound familiar? Regardless, if Bart’s knees hadn’t be hurt so bad, he’d be in the Hall today, I truly believe.
Old Dawg
May 15th, 2012
3:09 pm
This is a well-served honor, though it’s upsetting that some folks are taking pot-shots at some of Bart’s best plays as a pro.
I agree that Nobis should be in the Pro Football HOF – he was one helluva a player!
Seen ThisB4
May 15th, 2012
3:23 pm
@Paddy: Just remember, the biggest failing this site has is the ability that everyone has to steal another poster’s psuedonym. Not everything that get’s displayed here as my post is actually from me, in particular the one’s of a profane nature – that’s just not my style. Which is not to say that I won’t verbally abuse, discredit and dismiss your weakling team, but I do have a modicum of standards.
Personally, I don’t credit Bartkowski as a great quarterback, but he did have a very strong arm, much stronger than that of the current falcan’t QB.
GEAUX SAINTS!!!
59bulldawg
May 15th, 2012
3:30 pm
Hands down the best Falcons QB ever!
BC
May 15th, 2012
3:32 pm
Bart was certainly the most talented Falcon QB, as well as a class act (at least after he matured a bit during those frustrating first few seasons). Met him twice (though he’d never remember me), spoke briefly with him at the airport in Nashville. He was returning from one of those celebrity golf events, the one at Lake Tahoe I think. Good choice for HOF.
kcfalcon
May 15th, 2012
3:35 pm
Again, B4 B-Later, See you B-Later…Why don’t you just worry about your quarterback? Or his band of thugs teammates and superiors. You’re probably feeling all macho about your Bounty Brothers. Trreeemendous!
Go get on your Saints board. Try to extend in your basement. Or did the bounty take a little out of your system to extend?
Here’s to Bart, who except for a few seasons didn’t have a good supporting cast around him, and still did some amazing things. And a great person to boot.
mike
May 15th, 2012
3:48 pm
Bart was a great qb, one of the very best on the deep ball, great arm, much tougher than ever given credit for because the OL was bad back in those days. Had one of the best arms to play in the league. Super nice guy, in fact probably too nice, he would put the ball right in the hands of a receiver who would drop it and Bart would say, “that one is on me”. Great guy and my only comment on this is why did it take this long.
And for the person commentingn on Nobis, you are correct, Falcons were awful, but Nobis made the defense respectable. Oh I still remember Jr Coffee and Ernie Wheelright being the the backfield. Oh the memories, most of them not great, lol.
Fan since '66
May 15th, 2012
3:53 pm
ahhhh…errrrrr…seems like one early nickname was…ahhh..uhhh…hmmmm….’Golden Pole’..
Dad never did explain that to me.
Seen ThisB4
May 15th, 2012
3:53 pm
kcfalcon: I’m not worried about my QB, who happens to be the best current QB in the league, not to mention the division. One day, Brees will be in the NFL’s HOF, something ole Bart can only pine for.
playthatfunkymusicwhiteboy
May 15th, 2012
4:07 pm
As an alum of Notre Dame I’ve had the privilege of visiting the College Football Hall of Fame (it was in South Bend, hopefully moving to Atlanta soon) and it is an incredible place. So much history. This is truly a great honor and Bartkowski is absolutely deserving. Growing up down here, he was our Namath – keeping it competitive and scoring both on and off the field.
Falconfever
May 15th, 2012
4:13 pm
Seen This B4… he has to sign a contract 1st… Wonder if you will be trolling our blogs this season after we beat the Aint’s twice this year… No I doubt you can type with the paper bag over your head!!! lol oh the great Saint memories!!!
PreyDawg
May 15th, 2012
4:16 pm
Didn’t I hear that Bart had some serious health problems a coupe of years ago? He looks great in the picture. He had a good hunting and fishing show for awhile. Think it lasted a couple of years. I had the poster of him and Jenkins and Francis where they had missles sitting off to one side of them. The caption said, “Bart’s Bomb Squad”. Bart was my hero as well.
Sean got Pay ed a ton
May 15th, 2012
4:23 pm
What the hay is a Saint fan doing on here spewing trash? B4, have you been suspended from the Saints blogs for this year? lol I guess I can understand you being a little bitter with 2 Big Ben victorys against the Saints in the same year with ol’ Bart as QB. I’m sure it hurt to think you had won, only to see not only the game, but also your playoff hopes go up in smoke. As ABC used to say, thats “The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat”.
ATL Fan
May 15th, 2012
4:32 pm
STB4 is a regular on these blogs. Since he is old enough to remember the Bartkowski years, then that would explain the deep seeded hatred for the Falcons.
ozzfest
May 15th, 2012
4:47 pm
THE NIKE POSTER WITH ALFREDS JENKINS & JACKSON SAYS “ATLANTA ARSENAL”…NOT “BART’S BOMB SQUAD”.
I HAVE IT FRAMED IN MY BASEMENT.
WhoDatSeenDatB4
May 15th, 2012
4:47 pm
None of the Saints fans saw the Big Ben passes. They had bags over their heads didn’t they? Oh thats right they had cleverly cut holes in their shopping bags which probably doubled as suitcases so they could watch the game without admiting that they were stupid enough to pay for a ticket to watch their pathetic Aints stumble through one NFL season after another.
kcfalcon
May 15th, 2012
4:57 pm
B4- I’m not going to cut down your QB at all. He is very good. But even he hasn’t won a playoff game in the past 2 seasons.
And this, if we put Bartkowski on that Saints team, he probably wins the Super Bowl too.
Nativebird
May 15th, 2012
4:58 pm
Bart could throw the long ball as good as anyone ever did.
WhatUpDawg
May 15th, 2012
5:05 pm
Wow, some memories there. Bart at the QB, Andrews and Cain at running back. Man that Andrews thighs were as big as my waist. Alfred Jenkins, Francis, and “White Shoes” at WR, Mike Kenn and Van Note on the OL, Kuykendall and williams at LB, Mazetti at PK, Pridemore and Case at Safety, Jr Miller at TE. Loved those years.
BLT
May 15th, 2012
5:09 pm
Congratulations “Bart”!
SeenThisB4
May 15th, 2012
5:17 pm
Kcfalcon: You’re a revisionist, I see. The Saints won a playoff game this year. It’s your team that’s O for three years.
Donaldo
May 15th, 2012
5:18 pm
As a Golden Bear fan, Steve was right up there with the best CAL QB in my lifetime, Joe Roth. Congrats Steve & all Golden Bear fans….
MAYNARD DWAYNE SLOCUMB
May 15th, 2012
5:36 pm
If’n that thair Leeman Bennet didn’t decide to sit on the ball & close down shop early against Dallas them thar Falcons wouda won the Super Bowl 30 sumpthin’ years ago. Ol’ Maynard’s still mad! OUTRAGEOUS!!!
JSS
May 15th, 2012
5:43 pm
Paddy, the Bears didn’t start playing at Soldier Field until 1971. They played at Wrigley until the end of 1970 season…
JSS
May 15th, 2012
5:52 pm
Case was not on the Team of the 80s. Bob Glazebrook was the the other safety on those teams… Byas and Lawrence were the corners…
Double Zero Eight
May 15th, 2012
5:55 pm
If Bart had the weapons Ryan has and was healthy and young
like Ryan, he would lead the NFL in passing yardage and the
Falcons to the Super Bowl.
Paddy
May 15th, 2012
6:01 pm
JSS….who said anything about the Bears? I saw the Packers vs the College All-Stars in ‘64 or ‘65 @ Soldiers Field. Pls re-check my previous post ie. Bartkowski if he ever played in that game!
Paddy
May 15th, 2012
6:03 pm
Seen that B4……..Why would anyone want to use anyone’s name? Thats like a 12 yr old.
JSS
May 15th, 2012
6:11 pm
Paddy, It couldn’t have been the 64 or 65 because the Colts and Browns played those years… The one with the thunderstorm deluge was the last one in 76 when the Steelers played and they called it in 3rd quarter…
Frenchy
May 15th, 2012
6:13 pm
Wasn’t Steve married to Deborah Norville?
JSS
May 15th, 2012
6:14 pm
Paddy, Sure you’re not trying to claim 1963 or 1966?
JSS
May 15th, 2012
6:44 pm
And to answer Team Guys question… Bartkowski played in the 1975 game (the next to last one). They ended at the end of the NFL/Chicago Charities contract (the hosted and sponsored the game) in 1976.
Firsttimer
May 15th, 2012
7:09 pm
No doubt the greatest QB to put on a Falcons uniform. Great memories from that era…also devastating memories from the conclusion of the ‘80 Cowboys game. Still stings!
@ Fan since ‘66- He was nicknamed the Golden Pole in college…because he had golden hair and was from Polish descent. Great quarterback and a true Saints killer.
Cannon Ball Butler
May 15th, 2012
7:17 pm
Heard Steve give his testimony,which in turn led me to Jesus Christ. Truly a great person and one of the best quarterbacks the Falcons have had.And I do remember when the college allstars used to play a team from the NFL. They always played at Soldier Field.
JSS
May 15th, 2012
7:28 pm
There were 7 to 9 NFL/AAFC -vs- College All Star games played in the early 30s to the beginning of WWII, the one in Chicago stuck… By the way Cannonball, the first two in Chicago were played at Northwestern (not Soldier Field)…
Fan since '66
May 15th, 2012
8:20 pm
Well..I suppose that could be one explanation……
Day OneFan
May 15th, 2012
11:11 pm
Met Bart once in person at a punt, pass and kick competiton at the old Atl-Fulton co Stadium in 1981. I personally saw the man throw from one endzone and the ball landed in the other. Over 100yds. I saw it and didn’t believe it. The man was phenomenal in arm strength. I believe MR2 will go down asthe best QB in team history only because of ownership, supporting cast and the style of modern offense. Congrats to one helluva Great Falcon.
JSS
May 16th, 2012
2:43 am
@ Frenchy…
No… Bartkowski has been married to Sandee Oliver since 1980… Norville was like 21 back then…
Falcons’ Bartkowski selected to College Hall of Fame | NFL Online News
May 16th, 2012
6:26 am
[...] Atlanta Falcons This entry was posted in Atlanta Falcons and tagged Bartkowski, college, Falcons, Fame, Hall, selected. Bookmark the permalink. ← Vontaze Burfict embracing opportunity with Cincinnati Bengals [...]
Paddy
May 16th, 2012
7:11 am
JSS…….Now I am confused. Iam sure the game was in the mid ’60’s, rained out and vs the Packers. I am too old for this sh_t anymore. Martha, where is my warm milk, I’m tired again!!!!!!! It might have been ‘66. Was that game rained out?
Stiffneck
May 16th, 2012
5:57 pm
Frenchy, you are thinking of Harmon Wages. He dated Deborah Norville back in the mid-80’s.
fish
May 16th, 2012
8:50 pm
Bart is the reason I am a Falcons Fan as a kid. I other cities it called the hail mary pass. In Atlanta its called Big Ben and nobody it it better. Congrats Bart #10.
Fats OKelly
May 17th, 2012
10:53 am
Bart put alot of fear in NFL defensive backs. Too bad he didnt play defense too. Dallas game 1980 LOL
JSS
May 18th, 2012
3:00 am
Nope, the 1966 game went the entire game. So were the Packers only other appearances in 67 and 68. Now, they (CFAG) were called the “great drought busters” by the locals because it always seemed to rain during the game. However, only the Steelers game in 76 was ever called.
80sFalcon
May 18th, 2012
12:58 pm
Congrats Bart! You deserve it. Sure would have loved to see you in Canton though.