Associated Press
Zeke Bratkowski was an outstanding passer with a keen football mind; he played at quarterback for 14 seasons in the N.F.L.; and he later engineered passing attacks as an offensive coach for six pro teams, including the Jets.
He spent seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers, mostly under Coach Vince Lombardi in the 1960s, when Lombardi transformed a long-moribund franchise into pro football’s dominant team.
But for all his talents, Bratkowski faced a formidable obstacle: He was the backup to the Packers’ future Hall of Famer Bart Starr, stepping in when Starr was injured or being rested, on teams that won three consecutive National Football League championships.