 = Thom Darden = 
 
 Thomas Vincent Darden ( born August 28 , 1950 ) is a former American football cornerback , safety , and punt <unk> who played for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League ( NFL ) . In the NFL , he was a three @-@ time All @-@ Pro free safety . He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1978 . He holds most Cleveland Browns franchise interception records . He was an All @-@ American defensive back for the Michigan Wolverines football team and made one of the more memorable interceptions in college football history . After retiring from football , Darden pursued careers as a sports agent , security provider and business consultant . 
 
 = = Early life = = 
 
 Darden was born in <unk> , Ohio . He graduated from <unk> High School . 
 
 = = College football = = 
 
 After graduating , he was recruited by six Big Ten Conference football programs in 1968 . He played at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971 and had 218 tackles and 11 interceptions . He was an All American in 1971 , and he was also named All @-@ Big Ten in 1970 . He played on Big Ten champions in both 1969 and 1971 . Thom fit in well at Michigan becoming one of Coach Bo <unk> 's prized pupils and earning a reference in his 2006 book Bo <unk> . Darden still ranks among leaders at Michigan for Punt <unk> and Punt Return <unk> . Darden played all defensive back positions at Michigan . In college , Darden was a <unk> of <unk> <unk> , Glenn <unk> , Billy Taylor and Mike Taylor in a notable house known as the Den of the <unk> Men . 
 ESPN chose Darden 's November 21 , 1971 interception against Ohio State as one of the 100 <unk> , performances and moments that define college football . The play was a very controversial call late in the 10 – 7 game and Ohio State coach Woody Hayes stormed the field to <unk> at the referee Jerry <unk> about the referee 's call that Hayes thought should have been ruled pass interference . By the end of Hayes ' <unk> , he had broken a yard marker , <unk> a first @-@ down indicator and earned two 15 @-@ yard unsportsmanlike penalties . The scene was replayed over and over on national television broadcasts . That was Darden 's second interception in that game . ESPN also chose Darden as a member of the All @-@ Time University of Michigan Football team . 
 
 = = Pro football = = 
 
 Darden was drafted in the first round ( 18th overall ) in the 1972 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns . Darden started at free safety from his rookie season of 1972 until he lost the job in his tenth and final season to Clinton Burrell . He was selected an All @-@ Pro safety in 1976 , 1978 , and 1979 , and went to the Pro Bowl in 1978 . Over the course of his career he handled 45 punt returns for 285 return yards . Darden holds Cleveland Browns franchise records with 45 career interceptions , 10 single @-@ season interceptions and 820 interception return yards . Two of Darden 's Browns teams went to the playoffs . His rookie year , the 10 – 4 1972 Browns went to the 1972 @-@ 73 NFL playoffs under head coach Nick <unk> , but lost in the first round to the Miami Dolphins 20 – 14 . The 11 – 5 1980 Browns went to the 1980 @-@ 81 NFL playoffs under head coach Sam <unk> , but lost in the first round to the Oakland Raiders 14 – 12 . 
 Darden was ranked 47th on the Cleveland Browns top 100 players list . 
 
 = = Post football = = 
 
 Darden has served as a professional sports agent and represented Tony <unk> . In 1990 , he invested $ 25 @,@ 000 in <unk> by hosting him in Cleveland , Ohio and working him out with athletic trainers . At the time he was Cleveland @-@ based sports agent . During Darden 's career as an agent he represented an assortment of NFL and National Basketball Association players and prospects including Felix Wright and Chris Calloway . He was a supporter of Maurice <unk> 's attempt to challenge the NFL Draft 's eligibility rules . In 1998 , when the NFL reissued a franchise in Cleveland , Darden was part of one of the six bidding groups . In 1999 , he owned a security company in Cedar Rapids , Iowa . As of 2006 , Darden was a business consultant living in Cedar Rapids . 
 In 1993 , he went to jail for failure to pay child support . At the time he was a registered NFL agent in Connecticut and owed $ 14 @,@ 000 in child support , $ 30 @,@ 000 to a trust for his 16 @-@ year @-@ old son , Todd , and $ 12 @,@ 000 in his former wife 's legal fees . Darden had been married to <unk> from 1972 – 1977 when they divorced . He had previously been $ 5000 in <unk> until being briefly jailed for failure to pay and cursing the judge . He had been in contempt of court twenty times previously . 
 
 