Ohio State Legend Tom Cousineau’s NFL Draft Journey Redefines Football History
Tom Cousineau, the dominant Ohio State linebacker and the first overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft, left an unprecedented mark on football that continues to reverberate today.
After an explosive college career at Ohio State where Cousineau shattered multiple tackling records and earned two-time All-American honors, he was expected to be the undisputed No. 1 draft pick. Rated as the top player by all scouting reports, Cousineau’s selection by the Buffalo Bills was a certainty – the team held the coveted first pick following a trade that sent O.J. Simpson to San Francisco.
But Cousineau’s story took an immediate and shocking turn. Despite the Bills offering a then-robust contract reportedly worth $1.2 million over five years, Buffalo’s hardball negotiation stance backfired. Instead of signing with the NFL team, Cousineau stunned football fans by accepting a far more lucrative offer from the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
This move marked the first time since 1960 that a No. 1 NFL draft pick opted for another professional league. Cousineau inked a deal reportedly paying him $150,000 annually plus a $200,000 signing bonus, emphasizing his belief that the CFL’s faster, wider game suited his skills better.
Woody Hayes’ “Sentinel” made an immediate impact north of the border. He was named Grey Cup Defensive MVP during his rookie season and won the James P. McCaffrey Trophy as the East Division’s outstanding defensive player in his second year. His quick wit, exemplified after a crushing 47-6 loss when he quipped, “Now I know what Northwestern feels like,” showcased his larger-than-life presence on and off the field.
Contract Battles Reshape Two NFL Franchises
After three standout CFL seasons, Cousineau exercised an opt-out clause to return to the NFL at a time when the Alouettes faced financial strain. The Buffalo Bills still retained his NFL rights but balked at matching a blockbuster new offer of $2.5 million over five years including a $500,000 signing bonus from the Houston Oilers. Buffalo’s refusal opened the door for the Cleveland Browns and owner Art Modell to swoop in, trading three draft picks for Cousineau’s rights.
Those picks included a first-round choice that became none other than Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, forever linking Cousineau’s move with one of the NFL’s most iconic careers.
Cousineau spent four seasons with the Browns, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 1984, before spending two final seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He retired to Ohio and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
A Buckeye Draft Pick Who Changed the Game
Cousineau’s unprecedented path—from Ohio State star to CFL standout, then an NFL returnee who reshaped two franchises—remains one of football’s most compelling stories. His bold refusal to accept the NFL’s initial offer and gamble on a Canadian career rewrote the playbook on player agency and contract negotiations.
For fans in South Carolina and across the United States, Cousineau’s story is a reminder of the game-changing impact one player’s choices can have on football history and the NFL landscape decades later.
