Ozzie Newsome

High school

Colbert County High School

College

University of Alabama

Pro team(s)

Cleveland Browns

Hall of Fame

⭐ Pro Football Hall of Fame

Ozzie Newsome Jr. was born on March 16, 1956, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and grew up in Leighton, attending Colbert County High School in the Shoals region of northwest Alabama. He went to the University of Alabama as a wide receiver under Bear Bryant and was a consensus All-American. The Cleveland Browns selected him 23rd overall in the 1978 NFL Draft, and he was immediately moved to tight end — the position at which he would redefine the standard for the modern era. Over 13 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Newsome caught 662 passes for 7,980 yards and 47 touchdowns, becoming the most prolific receiving tight end in NFL history at the time of his retirement. His sure hands, precise route running, and football intelligence earned him the nickname "The Wizard of Oz." He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection (1981, 1984, 1985) and the undisputed franchise player of the Cleveland Browns throughout the 1980s. But his impact on the game extends well beyond his playing career. As General Manager of the Baltimore Ravens beginning in 1996, Newsome built the team that won Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XLVII, establishing himself as one of the two or three most successful executives in NFL history — a distinction that arguably exceeds even his playing legacy. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Born in Muscle Shoals, grew up in Leighton, Alabama.