Throwback Thursday, 1985: Bernie Kosar announces he'll leave Miami to play for the Cleveland Browns

CORAL GABLES, Florida - On April 24, 1985, University of Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar announced he was taking his talents to the North Coast.

Through a bit of NFL draft wizardry, Kosar became available to the Cleveland Browns in the supplemental draft that year.

Kosar grew up in the northeast Ohio city of Boardman. He graduated from the University of Miami in just three years.

His arranging the circumstances to come to Cleveland was just one of the reasons he became a fan favorite. As a hard-working quarterback  from a blue collar area, he made it easy for fans to identify with him.

His teams went to the playoffs in each of his first four years he played for the Browns.

But back to Miami: the story in our video player is from WEWS reporter Roger Morris. Morris traveled to Florida to cover Kosar’s announcement he was leaving Miami for Cleveland.

Bernie may have had Cleveland on his mind at that press conference, but his attire was all Florida. He walked to the podium in a tank top and shorts.

Answering a question regarding how badly the Browns have handled their operations of late, Kosar responds, “It’s funny, if they’ve handled things so badly, how come I’ve been in this position, with these options for really the first time any player has had these kind of options.”

Bernie alludes to then-Browns starter Paul McDonald saying, “Until I prove I’m better, he’ll stay the starting quarterback in all probability.”

According to pro-football-reference.com, Kosar started 10 games in his first season with the Browns and a total of 105 in his Cleveland career.

He was released in 1993 after Browns coach Bill Belichick said Kosar suffered from "diminishing skills." He went on to play for the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys.


(newsnet5.com)