We Northeast Ohioans are a hearty lot.
 
The only thing we appreciate more than hard work is those who overcome a lot to do it.
 
We like that out of ourselves, but even more so when it comes from our sports teams.
 
That’s why Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar was so popular. We was a native Northeast Ohioan who fit all that criteria. Perhaps he displayed all that the most 23 years ago today, on Sept. 14, 1992.
 
Though the Browns lost 27-23 to the Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Stadium on Monday Night Football that night, Kosar was magnificent. After his team was down 20-3 with 12 minutes left, Kosar, playing on what was later discovered to be a broken ankle that forced him to miss the next two months, led a furious comeback that nearly produced a victory.
 
Two touchdown passes by Kosar, a six-yarder to wide receiver Michael Jackson and a three-yarder to tight end Mark Bavaro, and a 32-yard interception return for a score by linebacker David Brandon, completed a string of 20 unanswered points and gave Cleveland a 23-20 lead with just 1:18 remaining.
 
But the Browns had left too much time on the clock for Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino. Marino, who would blow out his Achilles heel a year later on this field, directed an 85-yarder touchdown drive that was capped by Mark Higgs’ game-winning one-yard run with seven seconds remaining.
 
A product of Boardman High School near Youngstown, Kosar finished the night 19 of 28 passing for 230 yards and the two TDs with no interceptions. His favorite target was Jackson, who caught five passes for 98 yards. Rookie fullback Tommy Vardell had one of the better games of his career with 84 yards rushing on 16 carries.
 
Browns fans weren’t happy with the loss, but they were oh, so proud of the way their team fought back, and especially of the courage and toughness of Kosar, one of the most popular players in franchise history.