Ozzie Newsome facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ozzie Newsome

Newsome in 2023
Baltimore Ravens
Position:	Executive vice president/player personnel
Personal information
Born:	(1956-03-16) March 16, 1956 (age 69) Muscle Shoals, Alabama, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school:	Colbert County (Leighton, Alabama)
College:	Alabama (1974–1977)
NFL Draft:	1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23
Career history
As player:
Cleveland Browns (1978–1990)
As executive:
Cleveland Browns (1991–1992) Assignment scout Cleveland Browns (1993) Assistant to the head coach/offense/pro personnel Cleveland Browns (1994–1995) Director of pro personnel Baltimore Ravens (1996–2001) Executive vice president/player personnel Baltimore Ravens (2002–2018) General manager Baltimore Ravens (2019–present) Executive vice president/player personnel
Career highlights and awards
As player 2× First-team All-Pro (1979, 1984) 4× Second-team All-Pro (1980, 1981, 1983, 1985) 3× Pro Bowl (1981, 1984, 1985) NFL 1980s All-Decade Team PFWA All-Rookie Team (1978) Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor Consensus All-American (1977) 2× First-team All-SEC (1976, 1977) As executive 2× Super Bowl champion (XXXV, XLVII)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 662 Receiving yards: 7,980 Receiving touchdowns: 47
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Ozzie Newsome Jr. (born March 16, 1956) is a famous American football legend. He was an amazing player, known as a tight end for the Cleveland Browns. After his playing days, he became a top executive, working for the Baltimore Ravens. He was even their general manager for many years! Ozzie Newsome is so respected that he's in both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

College Football Star

Ozzie Newsome played college football at the University of Alabama for four years. He was so good that he started every game! People called him "The Wizard of Oz" because of his incredible skills. In 1977, he was named to the College Football All-America Team.

Alabama Team Success

During his time at Alabama, Ozzie helped his team, the Crimson Tide, win 42 games and only lose 6. He caught 102 passes for 2,070 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. He also returned 40 punts for 301 yards. His average of 20.3 yards per catch was a record in the Southeastern Conference for over 20 years!

College Honors

Ozzie was named Alabama's Player of the Decade for the 1970s. He was also chosen as an All-SEC player twice, in 1976 and 1977. In 1977, he was named SEC Lineman of the Year. In 1994, Ozzie Newsome was honored by being put into the College Football Hall of Fame. His coach, Paul "Bear" Bryant, said Ozzie was "the greatest end in Alabama history."

Professional Football Career

Ozzie Newsome was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 1978 NFL draft. He was the 23rd player chosen overall. In his very first year, he was named the Browns' Offensive Player of the Year. This was a big deal because it was the first time in 25 years that a rookie had won that award for the team!

Playing Highlights

Ozzie was selected to play in the Pro Bowl three times: in 1981, 1984, and 1985. In 1984, he set a team record for the most receiving yards in a single game with 191 yards. This record stood for 29 years! He also won the Ed Block Courage Award in 1986 for playing through injuries. In 1990, he received the Byron "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award for his amazing work helping the community.

Career Records

Even though Ozzie never played in a Super Bowl, his team, the Cleveland Browns, made it to the playoffs seven times during his career. They even reached the AFC championship game three times. When he retired, Ozzie had caught 662 passes and gained 7,980 yards, both of which were Cleveland Browns team records. He also scored 47 touchdowns. At the time he retired, he had more catches and yards than any other tight end in NFL history! In 1999, Ozzie Newsome was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Football Executive Role

After his playing career, Ozzie Newsome moved into a leadership role in football. He worked for the Cleveland Browns from 1991 until the team moved to Baltimore in 1996. He then continued his work with the new team, the Baltimore Ravens, from their very first season.

Becoming a General Manager

On November 22, 2002, Ozzie Newsome made history. He was named the first general manager of the Baltimore Ravens. This made him the first African-American person to hold that important position in the NFL.

Super Bowl Wins

As an executive, Ozzie helped the Ravens win two Super Bowl championships! He earned his first Super Bowl ring when the Ravens beat the New York Giants 34–7 in Super Bowl XXXV in 2001. He earned his second ring after the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII by a score of 34–31 in 2013.

Current Role

On February 2, 2018, the Ravens' owner, Steve Bisciotti, announced that Ozzie would step down as general manager after the 2018 season. His assistant, Eric DeCosta, took over the role. However, Ozzie Newsome is still a very important part of the Baltimore Ravens. He continues to work for the team as their executive vice president of player personnel.

Other Achievements

In 2003, Ozzie Newsome received the Eagle Award from the United States Sports Academy. This is a very high honor given to people who have made big contributions to sports around the world. He is also a member of the Cleveland Browns' "Ring of Honor." He was part of the very first group of people to be honored on September 19, 2010.