Bernie Kosar Suggested Al Lerner Hire Bill Belichick To Coach Browns in 1998

In lieu of the current news regarding former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar filing bankruptcy, there is another little piece of information abound throughout the grapevine that is very interesting and intriguing.

That little piece of news is that Kosar approached the new Browns front office, before their re-introduction back into the NFL in 1999, and recommended that Bill Belichick be hired as head coach of the new Browns in 1998.

Wow!

First of all, this comes as a shock because Kosar was recommending the guy who not only benched him, but also cut him back in 1993, when Belichick was the head coach of the Browns.

Obviously, Kosar had deep respect for Belichick despite being benched and cut by him. Otherwise, you just don't go and endorse a guy who pretty much fired you from the team.

Kosar explained, "I went to Mr. (Al) Lerner and Carmen Policy in 1998 and told them when they were talking about who should be the head coach of the new franchise, that they should hire Belichick. They laughed at me. They ridiculed me."

The reason Lerner and Policy ridiculed Kosar is probably because they saw what Belichick did in Cleveland in the early 90s. Why would he do any better a second time around?

Lerner and Policy should have listened to Kosar instead of laughing at him because Belichick has now become one of the greatest coaching minds the NFL has ever seen, and he is destined to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the future.

Belichick's second stint as a head coach in the NFL has proved to be much more successful than his first.

Hired on as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2000, he has gone on to win three Super Bowl Championships, which is something the current Cleveland Browns haven't even gotten anywhere close to.

What if Lerner had listened to Kosar and had hired Belichick to lead the new Cleveland Browns of 1999?

One thing is for sure: He would probably still be the Browns head coach, whereas now the Browns are on head coach No. 4 since 1999.