Ozzie Newsome

Ozzie Newsome Jr. (born March 16, 1956) is an American professional football executive and former player who is the executive vice president of player personnel of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Newsome was a tight end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (1994) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999). He is also the former general manager of the Baltimore Ravens (1996–2018) and now serves as a behind-the-scenes executive with the team. Newsome is widely regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time.[1][2][3]

Ozzie Newsome
refer to caption
Newsome in 2023
Baltimore Ravens
Position:Executive vice president/player personnel
Personal information
Born: (1956-03-16) March 16, 1956
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 a player:
As an 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
As executive
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:662
Receiving yards:7,980
Receiving touchdowns:47
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

College career

Newsome played for Alabama, where he started for all four years of his college career.[4] Nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz," Newsome made the College Football All-America Team in 1977 and assisted the Crimson Tide to a 42–6 overall record during his four seasons.[5] In total, Newsome amassed 102 receptions for 2,070 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, while also returning 40 punts for 301 yards.[6] His 20.3 average yards per catch was a Southeastern Conference record for over 20 years.[7] Newsome was named the Alabama Player of the Decade for the 1970s.[6] He was a two-time All-SEC player (in 1976 and 1977), and named SEC Lineman of the Year in 1977 by the Birmingham Quarterback Club and the Atlanta Touchdown Club. In 1994, Newsome was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.[8] Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant called him "the greatest end in Alabama history and that includes Don Hutson. A total team player, fine blocker, outstanding leader, great receiver with concentration, speed, hands."[9]

Professional career

Newsome was drafted in the first round with the 23rd pick in the 1978 NFL Draft for the Cleveland Browns.[4] He was named the Browns' Offensive Player of the Year his rookie year, the first time in 25 years that a rookie had received that honor. Newsome went to the Pro Bowl in 1981, 1984 and 1985. In 1984, Newsome set a franchise record for receiving yards in a game (191) that stood for 29 years until it was broken in 2013 by Josh Gordon (who recorded 237 and 261 yards in back-to-back games).[10] In 1986, Newsome won the Ed Block Courage Award for playing with injuries, and in 1990, he won the Byron "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award for his community service.[6] Though he was never able to play in a Super Bowl, Cleveland made the playoffs seven times during Newsome's career, and made three trips to the AFC championship game.

Newsome finished his career with 662 receptions and 7,980 yards, both Cleveland franchise records, and 47 touchdowns, fifth all-time.[11] In 1999, Newsome was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[12]

Football executive

Newsome was a front office executive with the Cleveland Browns from 1991 until their relocation to Baltimore in 1996; he has remained an executive with the Baltimore Ravens since their inaugural season. On November 22, 2002, Newsome was named the first general manager of the Ravens, making him the first African-American to occupy that position in the NFL.[13]

Newsome earned his first Super Bowl ring when the Ravens defeated the New York Giants 34–7 in Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, and earned a second ring after the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII by a score of 34–31 in 2013.[14]

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti announced on February 2, 2018, that Newsome would step down following the 2018 season and assistant general manager Eric DeCosta would become the team's new GM.[15] Although DeCosta is the team's general manager, Newsome is still employed by the Ravens in an active and significant role and he is listed as executive vice president on the Ravens Official Website.[16][17]

Other awards

In 2003, Newsome received the United States Sports Academy's highest honor, the Eagle Award, in recognition of his significant contributions to international sport.[18]

Newsome is a member of the Cleveland Browns' "Ring of Honor", becoming a member of the first class inducted on September 19, 2010.[19]

References
  1. Scott, J.P. (June 21, 2022). "25 Greatest Tight Ends in NFL History". Athlon Sports. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  2. Fragoza, James (October 24, 2021). "13 greatest tight ends of all time from Tony Gonzalez to Jackie Smith". Pro Football Network. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  3. Brandt, Gil. "Gil Brandt's 14 greatest NFL tight ends of all time". NFL.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  4. Max Strauss (February 21, 2011). "Hall of Fame Tight End, Current Ravens General Manager, Ozzie Newsome Interview". prointerviews.org.
  5. "SB Nation College Football Hall Of Fame Inductee Ozzie Newsome". SBNation. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  6. "Ozzie Newsome Jr". The Encyclopedia of Alabama. January 18, 2012. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  7. Brandon Larrabee. "Alabama's Ozzie Newsome Inducted Into SB Nation College Football Hall Of Fame". SBNation. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  8. Ozzie "The Wizard of Oz" Newsome at the College Football Hall of Fame
  9. Bob Gain (January 26, 2008). "Players reflections on Paul W. "Bear" Bryant". TideSports.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013.
  10. "Josh Gordon sets NFL record". ESPN. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  11. Steve King. "Hall of Fame Ozzie Newsome - Tight End". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  12. "Hall of Famers Ozzie Newsome". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  13. "History: African-Americans in Pro Football". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  14. "Super Bowl XLVII - San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens - February 3rd, 2013". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  15. "Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome to step down after 2018". NFL.com. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  16. "Ozzie Newsome's new title? New Ravens GM thinking consigliere". ESPN. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  17. "Ravens". www.baltimoreravens.com. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  18. "Ozzie Newsome Jr". The Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  19. Barry Barnes (August 26, 2010). "Ozzie Newsome to Receive Honor at Cleveland Browns Stadium". AOL News. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013.
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