Tim Couch

College

University of Kentucky

Pro team(s)

Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers

Timothy Charles Couch was born on July 31, 1977, in Hyden, Kentucky (Leslie County), in the heart of the Eastern Kentucky coal country, and became the most heavily recruited high school quarterback in the country during the mid-1990s. He chose the University of Kentucky over dozens of programs and proceeded to rewrite the Wildcats' record books, setting SEC records in passing yards and touchdowns under offensive coordinator Mike Leach's pass-heavy system. The Cleveland Browns selected him first overall in the 1999 NFL Draft — the inaugural expansion draft for a newly re-formed Browns franchise — making him the highest NFL Draft pick in Kentucky history. The pressure of rebuilding an expansion franchise in one of the NFL's most passionate markets proved overwhelming: injuries, turnover in coaching staffs, and lack of supporting talent prevented Couch from establishing the sustained success that his talent suggested. He played six NFL seasons, finishing with the Green Bay Packers in 2004. His story is inseparable from the story of the coal-country communities of Eastern Kentucky, where local boys making good on the national stage carry the pride of entire regions with them. Born in Hyden, Kentucky.