Ohio State Legend Tom Cousineau Stuns Football World by Skipping NFL for CFL After No. 1 Draft Pick
Tom Cousineau, one of Ohio State’s most dominant linebackers and the first overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft, shocked fans and NFL executives by choosing to play for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League instead of signing with the Buffalo Bills.
This remarkable move sent shockwaves through professional football just months after Cousineau was selected first overall at the draft in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Considered the top player in the nation by scouting services, Cousineau was expected to launch a storied NFL career immediately.
Record-Breaking Buckeye and Draft Day Spotlight
From Cleveland’s Lakewood St. Edward High to Woody Hayes’ Ohio State program, Cousineau was a tackling machine. He set Ohio State records for most total tackles in a season and game, earning two All-American honors and the Chicago Tribune’s Big Ten MVP for 1978.
The Bills, holding the coveted top draft spot thanks to a trade linked to O.J. Simpson, selected Cousineau as planned. The Buffalo owner Ralph Wilson offered a $1.2 million, five-year contract, but tough negotiations and Wilson’s refusal to budge pushed Cousineau to explore other options.
Shocking Defection to CFL Shakes NFL
Just under three months after the draft, Cousineau stunned football pundits by accepting a lucrative deal from the Montreal Alouettes worth $150,000 annually plus a $200,000 signing bonus, making him the first NFL No. 1 draft pick since 1960 to jump leagues. Cousineau called the CFL game “fast and wide open,” highlighting his confidence in the move.
His impact was immediate in Canada. He earned Grey Cup Defensive MVP in his rookie season and was named the outstanding defensive player in the CFL’s East Division in his second year.
Bills Lose Rights, Browns Acquire Cousineau in Blockbuster Trade
After three seasons, Cousineau opted out of his Montreal contract, timing his return to the NFL perfectly as the financially struggling Alouettes were forced to cut costs.
Though the Bills still technically held his NFL rights, they couldn’t match a massive $2.5 million, five-year offer with a $500,000 signing bonus from the Houston Oilers. Buffalo then orchestrated a trade with the Cleveland Browns, who acquired Cousineau by trading three draft picks to Buffalo—one of which became Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly.
Cousineau spent four seasons in Cleveland, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 1984, then finished his career with two seasons at the San Francisco 49ers before retiring.
Legacy of a Trailblazer Beyond the Field
In 2016, Cousineau was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time great linebackers. Yet, his story remains one of the most unusual for a No. 1 NFL draft pick—a Buckeye so valuable that he reshaped two franchises without ever starting for one.
“I’ll have to remember to send Bud Adams a Christmas card,” Cousineau joked about Houston’s owner after Buffalo traded his rights to Cleveland.
Cousineau’s path highlights the evolving business of football in the late 1970s and early 1980s, where player leverage over contracts began to rise, and leagues globally competed for elite talent. His unexpected leap to the CFL remains a defining moment in professional sports history.
For football fans in Montana and across the United States, Cousineau’s story stands as a reminder of the power players can hold, the unexpected turns of sports careers, and the ever-changing landscape of professional football — developments still reverberating today.
