Ozzie
Newsome

In 1978, when Newsome was a first-round pick of the Browns, coaches and teammates quickly liked the tight end out of Alabama, and don't mean a diamond in the rough, receivers coach Kotite both as a player and a person. "Ozzie is a diamond, and I said. "He's a game, a real gem."

In 1978, when Newsome was a first-round pick of the Browns, coaches and teammates quickly liked the tight end out of Alabama both as a player and a person. "Ozzie is a diamond, and I don't mean a diamond in the rough," receivers coach Rich Kotite said. "He's a real gem."

Ozzie's sure hands, speed and intelligence made him one of the most dependable receivers in the NFL. Since joining Cleveland in 1978, he has caught 50 or more passes in 10 straight seasons, and became the Browns' all-time leading receiver in 1987. A former basketball player at Alabama, Ozzie was originally drafted as a tight end but has been used primarily as a wide receiver.

There is a huge bear on the top of Newsome's page on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's website–"I don't like dropping anything." For 13 seasons, the hardly did, across his 198-game career, he caught at least three passes in 112 contests, providing a reliable pair of hands to every passer he played with.

Newsome had a reputation for catching everything that came his way, a trait he reflected on with pride. "I don't like dropping anything," said the Hall of Fame tight end. "I haven't played this game as long as I have, as well as I have, dropping footballs. … I guess I'm a perfectionist."

Muscle Shoals, Ala., is known for its contribution to music, which notable acts in the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin have all recorded. Born in the small town, Newsome also cranked out his share of hits. No player tight end in the NFL totals.