Bernie Kosar

Lore & Background

Kosar grew up a Cleveland Browns fan and announced in a March 14, 1985 press conference that he would like to play for the Browns in his native Ohio. After a controversial route involving the supplemental draft, the Browns selected him on July 3, 1985. In 1986, the Browns took the top seed in the AFC with a 12–4 record. In the divisional playoffs against the New York Jets, Kosar threw for a then-playoff-record 489 yards in leading the Browns to a 23–20 comeback victory in double overtime. The following week, John Elway's 98-yard drive in the AFC championship game kept the Browns out of the Super Bowl. Kosar's most productive year statistically was 1987. In the strike-shortened season, he completed 62 percent of his passes for 3,033 yards and 22 touchdowns and led the AFC in quarterback rating. In an AFC championship rematch against Elway's Denver Broncos, Kosar threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns in a 38–33 loss, the game is remembered for a last minute fumble by Browns running back Earnest Byner. Kosar set a record for consecutive playoff games with at least three touchdown passes (3 games).

In Their Own Story

The air in Cleveland Stadium was thick with anticipation as Bernie Kosar stepped into the pocket, the roar of the crowd drowning out the snap count. With seconds ticking down and defenders closing in, he didn't panic; instead, he scanned the field with calm precision. Spotting a sliver of daylight, he rolled right, evading a tackle before launching a perfect spiral toward the end zone. The ball hung in the freezing air, a testament to his arm strength, before dropping into waiting hands for a touchdown that sealed another unforgettable chapter in Browns history.

Reader's Guide

Kosar was acquired by the Browns in the 1985 supplemental draft, not as the first overall pick in the regular draft. The Browns had a 12–4 record in 1986, not 11–5. The source does not specify whether the 1986 playoff win was the Browns' first playoff victory in over two decades; it only states that the Browns advanced to the AFC championship game that year. The source does not mention any playoff win in 1969 or 1972.

Did You Know?

• Kosar set an NFL record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception with 286, starting the 1990 season.
• He threw for 447 yards and two touchdowns in the 1984 loss to Boston College when Flutie threw the 'Hail Flutie' pass.
• Kosar graduated from the University of Miami School of Business with a double major in finance and economics, taking 18 credit hours in spring 1985 and six in summer to graduate early.