Ozzie Newsome has long-lasting NFL impact; Where is he now?
CLEVELAND (BVM) – The term “football lifer” gets thrown around often, but Ozzie Newsome fits that billing to a tee. The 66-year-old Alabama native has had a role in the National Football League since 1978, and he has excelled with every task he’s been given.
Before the NFL
Newsome was a star at Colbert County High School in Leighton, Alabama, before deciding to stay in-state for his collegiate career with the Crimson Tide.
It did not take long for him to make an impact at Alabama, starting as a true freshman. Over the course of four years in Tuscaloosa, he totaled 102 catches, and over 2,000 yards with 16 touchdowns.
He was named first-team All-SEC in both 1976 and 1977. In 1994, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
NFL playing career
The Cleveland Browns selected Newsome with the No. 23 pick in the 1978 NFL Draft, one of the best selections the franchise has made to date.
The tight end played 13 seasons in the NFL, all with Cleveland. Newsome was first-team All-Pro twice and second-team All-Pro four times.
At the end of his career, he accumulated 662 receptions and 7,980 yards, which both remain as franchise records. But outside of his stellar play on the field, he was equally as stellar off the field.
Newsome won the Ed Block Courage Award in 1986 and the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year Award in 1990. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
Transition to executive
After retiring as a player in 1990, he quickly transitioned to a scouting role for the Browns. He bounced around in a variety of front-office roles, remaining with the organization as they relocated and became the Baltimore Ravens.
In 2002, 11 years after transitioning to an executive position, Newsome was named the general manager of the Ravens. He became the first African-American with that title in the history of the NFL.
Not only did he break barriers, but he emerged as one of the best football architects in the modern era.
He consistently put together great Ravens teams, highlighted by the 2013 team that defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.
Where is he now?
In 2018, Newsome stepped down from his general manager position but remained in the organization.
He currently serves as the Executive Vice President where he continues to help out the Ravens organization in a less demanding role.
