Historically, the Cleveland Browns haven't had the best of luck when it comes to the quarterback position. However, Bernie Kosar was able to be that beacon of light for the franchise and its fans to draft well at the position. Kosar was known for functioning well in pass-first offenses and was highly efficient when it came to getting the ball to his receivers in clutch moments. Bernie Kosar was so clutch that he started all twelve games at the University of Miami in 1983 after being redshirted in 1982. Kosar led the Hurricanes to their first-ever national championship in 1983 where was MVP of the Orange Bowl. Kosar also fell victim to Doug Flutie's 'Hail Flutie' pass and a loss in the 1985 Fiesta Bowl.
After a successful stint in college and some eligibility controversy, Kosar was drafted 1st overall in the 1985 Supplemental NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns where he would spend the majority of his NFL career. During his tenure with the Browns, Kosar would rack up two Pro Bowl selections in 1987 and 1989 where he would lead the Browns to back-to-back AFC championship games in 1986 and 1987. Unfortunately, after suffering multiple injuries, Kosar and the Browns parted ways and Kosar would sign a contract with the Dallas Cowboys where he would earn a Super Bowl ring as a backup. Kosar played his final three NFL seasons as a member of the Miami Dolphins and ended his career holding the record for most consecutive completed passes without an interception until it was broken by Tom Brady in December 2010.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."