Miami (Fla.), 1985
• 1984 Academic All-America® First Team
Bernie Kosar was inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of Fame in 1998.
Born and raised in Ohio, Bernard J. Kosar, Jr. is considered a local hero for his football achievements. He attended Boardman High School and excelled at both football and basketball. He earned Parade All-American honors during his senior football season in 1981 and was also heralded for his pitching skills on the baseball diamond.
After graduating from high school in 1982, Kosar continued his football career at the University of Miami. He used his redshirt season in 1982 to gain experience and started all 12 games as a redshirt freshman quarterback in 1983, leading the Hurricanes to an 11-1 regular season record and a berth in the Orange Bowl. Kosar completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 2,328 yards and 15 touchdowns in his freshman season. He used these impressive statistics to lead Miami to their first national championship in the Orange Bowl against top-ranked Nebraska. Kosar passed for 300 yards and two touchdowns in Miami’s thrilling 31-30 victory over the Cornhuskers.
Kosar continued his meteoric rise to the top of college football as a sophomore in 1984. He set Miami school records with 3,642 passing yards and 25 touchdowns, was a second team All-American, and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Kosar’s Miami career completion record of 62.3 percent has yet to be topped by another quarterback.
Kosar entered the NFL Draft in 1985 after graduating from Miami, forsaking two more years of college eligibility. He wanted to return home to Ohio as a member of the Cleveland Browns and got his wish on July 3, 1985 when the Browns signed him to a five-year contract.
Kosar is one of the most popular players in the history of the Cleveland Browns. His choice of his hometown team despite their 5-11 record during the 1984 season endeared him to the fans; they even recorded a song called “Bernie, Bernie” to the tune of “Louie Louie” in his honor. Kosar had the best years of his career with the Browns, including a Pro Bowl appearance in 1987. He spent the later years of his career as a backup on the Dallas Cowboys and later the Miami Dolphins before retiring at the end of the 1996 season.
Kosar, a father of four, has been involved in many projects since his retirement from professional football. In 2001, he became the part-owner of the Florida Panthers NHL Franchise. Kosar is also the owner of several Bernie’s Steakhouse restaurants in South Miami and Cleveland and used to publish Bernie’s Insiders, a magazine covering the Browns. He was also the team president and CEO of the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League. Charitable work is very important to Kosar, who established his own foundation in 1991, the Bernie J. Kosar Jr. Charitable Trust, to fund programs for children and young adults.