By Darin 
Did you know that the University of California quarterback who became the number one overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft once led the entire nation in passing yardage? That player is Steve Bartkowski, born on November 12, 1952, whose prolific senior season for the Cal Bears propelled him from Berkeley standout to professional football history maker, setting a benchmark for future generations of signal-callers and eventually earning him a place in the College Football Hall of Fame.
The calbears.com bio page on Bartkowski states that he was an All-American QB in 1974, in part because he led the nation with 2580 passing yards. During his time at Cal, he had 4 games in which he threw for over 300 yards, and in his senior season, he accumulated 2,387 yards of total offense. Steve was selected as the number one pick in the 1975 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Steve Bartkowski was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Consistency and high performance were hallmarks of Bartkowski’s play; over his career at Cal, he recorded four separate games in which he exceeded the 300-yard passing mark. In his senior campaign alone, he amassed an impressive 2,387 yards of total offense, showcasing his ability to move the ball both through the air and on the ground. His excellence did not go unnoticed, earning him the prestigious honor of being named an All-American Quarterback in 1974.
Bartkowski’s dominant college performance made him the undisputed top prospect in the 1975 NFL Draft, where he was chosen as the number one overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons. He went on to have a successful professional career with the Falcons, providing the franchise with one of its first true star quarterbacks. His legacy as a pioneer who set records and earned the highest draft status was formally acknowledged when he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Bartkowski’s journey serves as a powerful reminder of the impact a single player can have on both a collegiate program and the professional league that follows.
Football Accolades and Accomplishments:
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (2012).
- Consensus All-American Quarterback (1974).
- Led the nation in passing with 2,580 yards (1974).
- Number one overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft (Atlanta Falcons).
- Amassed 2,387 yards of total offense in his senior season.
- Recorded four games with over 300 passing yards at Cal.