Kosar Washes Hands of Miami Football

Quarterback Bernie Kosar of the Cleveland Browns says he has disassociated himself from the athletic program at his alma mater, the University of Miami, Fla., because “they don’t seem to care about what I’ve done for the school.”

“I can’t in good conscience recruit for them or donate to their athletic program as long as (Coach Jimmy Johnson) is there,” Kosar said.

The rift apparently developed last fall, when the jersey number of Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde was retired. Testaverde went on to win the Heisman Trophy, but Miami lost the national championship to Penn State.

The Hurricanes won the national championship with Kosar at quarterback in 1983.

When Johnson was asked why Kosar’s jersey was retired, he reportedly said, “Bernie didn’t finish the program here.”

Kosar had two years of athletic eligibility remaining when he graduated from Miami and joined the Browns in 1985.

“I could care less about retiring my number,” Kosar said. “What bothered me is when they said I sold the school out. It left a bad taste. I left early because I graduated.”

Kosar created an annual $5,000 scholarship for the Miami business school and contributes to a school research fund for a cure of paralysis. But since giving $5,000 to the athletic program in his first year as a Brown, he has given no more to Miami athletics.