Tom Cousineau Professional football career
What year did he start playing professional football?
What year did Tom Cousineau start playing professional football?
Cousineau was drafted first overall in the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, who acquired the pick as a part of a package of five draft picks from the San Francisco 49ers in a 1978 trade for O.J. Simpson. However, he never played a game for the Bills. He instead signed with the Canadian Football League Montreal Alouettes, who signed him for double the money originally offered by the Bills. Cousineau became a star for the Alouettes, becoming the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player in the 1979 season. He only played in four games in his third season because of an elbow injury while the Alouettes collapsed.  In 1982, Cousineau wanted to return to the NFL, choosing to forego two optional years with the Alouettes. The Houston Oilers attempted to sign him, but the Bills (who still held Cousineau's NFL rights) matched the offer. Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell had long been interested in signing him. Cousineau was then traded from the Bills to the Cleveland Browns for a first-round draft choice (14th overall) in the 1983 NFL Draft, plus a second and a third draft choice in subsequent years. That first-round pick was used on future Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. Cousineau signed a five-year contract for $2.5 million, the highest contract ever at the time by the Browns.  In 1983, Cousineau was arrested in connection with minor collision with a police car on Saint Patrick's Day  He was charged with drunk driving, improperly using traffic lanes, and not having his driver's license. He was subsequently found not guilty of the drunk driving charge, but guilty of the moving violation (the driver's license charge was dropped).  During Cousineau's four seasons with the Browns, he led the team in tackles for three seasons. He was named a 2nd-team All-NFL by the NEA in 1983, and by the AP in 1984, but never made the Pro Bowl in his career. He was considered an overpaid disappointment in Cleveland, while Bills fans fondly remember the fact that the man who once snubbed them for the CFL was traded for Jim Kelly. Cousineau signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent after the 1985 season where he played two years as a reserve before retiring in 1987. Cousineau finished his NFL career with ten interceptions and 6.5 career sacks. CANNOTANSWER
Cousineau was then traded from the Bills to the Cleveland Browns for a first-round draft choice (14th overall) in the 1983 NFL Draft,
Thomas Michael Cousineau (born May 6, 1957) is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1970s and 1980s.  He played college football for Ohio State University, and twice earned All-American honors.  He was the first overall pick of the 1979 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the CFL's Montreal Alouettes and the NFL's Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers.

Cousineau is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, elected in the class of 2016. He is also a member of the Ohio State Varsity "O" Hall of Fame, inducted in 1995, and St. Edward High School Hall of Fame. Cousineau was the recipient of the Silver Anniversary Butkus Award in 2003.

Early years
Cousineau was born in Fairview Park, Ohio, to Carol and Tom Cousineau Sr, who was the head football and a wrestling coach at Lakewood (Ohio) High School. Consequently, his mother did not want him to play football under the shadow of his father. Thus, Cousineau played high school football for nearby St. Edward High School, which is several blocks away in Lakewood. He excelled and was one of the most highly recruited football players in the country in his senior year. He graduated in 1975.

Cousineau was also an accomplished wrestler. In 1975, under legendary coach Howard Ferguson, he lost to future NFL player Bob Golic from cross-town all-boys school rival St. Joseph High School in the Ohio state wrestling tournament semifinals in the heavyweight weight class. The match has been called "one of the most memorable," Golic would go on to win the state title and Cousineau would finish in third place. Golic would go to be two-time All-American at heavyweight at Notre Dame. Cousineau and Golic would eventually become teammates in the NFL with the Browns.

College football career
Cousineau attended Ohio State University, where he played for legendary coach Woody Hayes' Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 1975 to 1978. During that span, Ohio State had an overall record of 36-10-2 and 28–4 in the Big Ten, were three-time Big Ten champs. The Buckeyes played four bowl games after each of the seasons he played: in the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Gator Bowl. They were a Top 5 team for 36 weeks over these four years and the No. 1 team in the nation for eight weeks in 1975, and ultimately finished fourth, sixth and 12th in the final Associated Press polls in 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively.

Cousineau majored in marketing. He was a consensus first-team All-American, breaking the school record with 211 tackles in a single season in 1978, an average of 17.5 a game.  He also broke the school record for most tackles in a game with 29 against Penn State in 1978, and was the MVP of the 1977 Orange Bowl.

Cousineau's last game for the Buckeyes was the infamous 1978 Gator Bowl against Clemson, during which Coach Hayes punched Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman in the final minutes of the game. Hayes was fired the following day for the incident.

Cousineau still holds many of Ohio State's tackling records. As of 2016, he holds six of the top 10 single-game tackling records, 29 single-game tackles (since tied by fellow College Football Hall of Famer Chris Spielman), most solo tackles in a single game, (16 against SMU in 1978). He also ranks second on both the all-time OSU tackle list with 569 (three behind Marcus Marek) and on the career solo tackles list with 259.

He was named an All-American in 1977 and 1978. The Chicago Tribune named him the MVP of the Big Ten in 1978. He graduated from OSU in 1979. In 2016, he became the 25th Ohio State player, along with seven Buckeye coaches, to be named to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Professional football career
Cousineau was drafted first overall in the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, who acquired the pick as a part of a package of five draft picks from the San Francisco 49ers in a 1978 trade for O. J. Simpson.  However, he never played a game for the Bills. He instead signed with the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes, who signed him for double the money originally offered by the Bills. Cousineau became a star for the Alouettes, becoming the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player in the 1979 season. He only played in four games in his third season because of an elbow injury while the Alouettes collapsed.

In 1982, Cousineau wanted to return to the NFL, choosing to forego two optional years with the Alouettes. The Houston Oilers attempted to sign him, but the Bills (who still held Cousineau's NFL rights) matched the offer.   
Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell had long been interested in signing him. Cousineau was then traded from the Bills to the Cleveland Browns for a first-round draft choice (14th overall) in the 1983 NFL Draft, plus a second and a third draft choice in subsequent years. That first-round pick was used on future Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. Cousineau signed a five-year contract for $2.5 million, the highest contract ever at the time by the Browns.

In 1983, Cousineau was arrested in connection with minor collision with a police car on Saint Patrick's Day He was charged with drunk driving, improperly using traffic lanes, and not having his driver's license. He was subsequently found not guilty of the drunk driving charge, but guilty of the moving violation (the driver's license charge was dropped).

During Cousineau's four seasons with the Browns, he led the team in tackles for three seasons. In the 1983 season, he intercepted 4 passes and was named a 2nd-team All-NFL by the NEA.  He was also named 2nd-team all NFL by the AP in 1984, but never made the Pro Bowl in his career. He was considered an overpaid disappointment in Cleveland, while Bills fans fondly remember the fact that the man who once snubbed them for the CFL was traded for Jim Kelly. Cousineau signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent after the 1985 season where he played two years as a reserve before retiring in 1987. Cousineau finished his NFL career with ten interceptions and 6.5 career sacks.

After retiring as a player
St. Edward inducted Cousineau to the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
He married Lisa June 16, 1990, and has 2 daughters Kyle and Kacey.
On February 8, 2006, Cousineau announced plans to run for a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives as a Republican in the Akron, Ohio area. He won the May primary but lost the November election to Democrat Brian Williams by a margin of 58% to 42%.

On April 20, 2009, Cousineau joined the St. Vincent – St. Mary High School football coaching staff as a linebackers coach.
Cousineau later went on to be the linebackers coach at St. Edward High School (Ohio)

References

External links
 Ohio State bio
 
 NFL bio

1957 births
Living people
All-American college football players
American football linebackers
Canadian football linebackers
Cleveland Browns players
National Football League first overall draft picks
Montreal Alouettes players
Ohio State Buckeyes football players
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Players of American football from Akron, Ohio
Players of Canadian football from Cleveland
San Francisco 49ers players
St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio) alumni
National Football League replacement players
Players of American football from Cleveland
Fredrik Strømstad (born 20 January 1982 in Kristiansand) is a Norwegian football player.

Career
In 2002, he was loaned to Bærum SK and helped them win promotion to the Norwegian First Division.

He signed for the French club Le Mans Union Club 72 on June 13, 2008, and joined the club on July 7 the same year.

After spending the 2012 season at a new spell in IK Start, he retired from professional football. He did continue in 2013 with seventh-tier club Tigerberget FK.

National team
Strømstad made his debut for the national team in the World Cup qualifier against Belarus in October 2005.

Playing style
Strømstad is renowned for his work rate and passing ability, and his stamina. He has been compared to former Norwegian midfielder Erik Mykland. When he played for Start he often linked up with teammate Kristofer Hæstad in midfield.

References

External links
Start's bio of Strømstad

1982 births
Living people
Norwegian footballers
Norway international footballers
IK Start players
Bærum SK players
Le Mans FC players
Norwegian expatriate footballers
Expatriate footballers in France
Sportspeople from Kristiansand
Eliteserien players
Ligue 1 players
Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in France

Association football midfielders Richard William Evans (born 12 April 1968) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a winger. He is a member of the backroom staff with the Belgium national team. He previously played for several football clubs including Cardiff City, Exeter City and Bristol Rovers. Richard Evans is the son of former Swansea City player and Wales international footballer Brian Evans.

Career
After retiring from playing professional football Evans studied towards a Sports science BSc (Hons) at Loughborough University (1997–1999) and later a Physiotherapy BSc Hons at Brunel University (2002–2006).

Speaking to the BBC Wales, he said: "I pursued a career in football after leaving school. When I got to the age of 27 and had played professional and semi-professional football I realised that football wasn't going to provide me with a living after I'd finished my days really.
"So whilst I was playing at Lilleshall I did a treatment and management of injuries course held by the FA, and that's what instilled an interest in physiotherapy."

Prior to his appointment at Everton, he has held the position of Head Physiotherapist at Swansea City A.F.C. (1999–2009) and also Head of Sport Science at Wigan Athletic (2009–2013). In 2013, he was appointed Head of Performance at Everton Football Club. In August 2016, he joined the Belgium national football team backroom staff.

References

External links
 

Living people
1968 births
Welsh footballers
Association football wingers
Cardiff City F.C. players
Newport County A.F.C. players
Bristol Rovers F.C. players
Exeter City F.C. players
Yeovil Town F.C. players
Alumni of Loughborough University
Alumni of Brunel University London
Swansea City A.F.C. non-playing staff
Wigan Athletic F.C. non-playing staff
Everton F.C. non-playing staff