Alabama football: 15 greatest Crimson Tide NFL careers ever

Greatest Alabama football career No. 11: Ozzie Newsome

Ozzie Newsome was a very talented pass catcher at Alabama in the 1970s, playing for the Crimson Tide under Bear Bryant. He was an All-American tight end back in 1977 and would carve himself quite the future in the NFL.

A first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns, Newsome would spend his entire 13-year playing career with the Browns and has been a major part of the organization ever since he was drafted in 1978. On the football field, he was a major contributor as a tight end.

Newsome was a 3-time Pro Bowler who made a number of All-Pro teams, including First Team honors in 1984. He had a pair of 1000-yard seasons back when tight ends simply didn’t do that on a regular basis. He was a major part of Cleveland’s offense for the first decade of his career, accumulating no less than 580 receiving yards in his first eight seasons.

Newsome would score 47 receiving touchdowns for the Browns and accumulate just under 8000 receiving yards. He was an important piece for the Browns up until his retirement, but that wasn’t the end of his time with the organization. He’d join the front office, staying in 1996 when they became the Baltimore Ravens and has been the chief decision maker for most of the last two decades.

Newsom is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame, inducted to both in the 1990s after his playing career had ended. He was an important weapon for Alabama and the Browns throughout his career, helping both to a ton of wins and success.