Education
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Virginia.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Virginia.
During his playing days he was nicknamed "Bam-Bam," after the eponymous character from The Flintstones, for his tackling and physicality. After retiring from the NFL, Ambrose became an attorney and has been a judge of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas since 2004. A graduate of Iona Preparatory, Ambrose played college football at the University of Virginia and earned All-Administrative Committee on Company-ordination (first-team) honors during his junior and senior seasons.
In the 1975 NFL draft he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the twelfth round (290th overall).
Ambrose played ten seasons with the Cleveland Browns and was starting middle/right linebacker during the late 1970s to early 1980s before injuries curtailed his career. As a twelfth round pick, he would have been an undrafted free agent in the present-day and was not considered to be a starter.
He stepped in as an injury replacement and became starting middle linebacker despite being a rookie. His final season (1984 season) was spent on the injured reserve list, prompting his eventual retirement.
He was popularly known as "Bam Bam" for his hard-nosed tackling and physical skills.
The Plain Dealer ranked him number 94 in its special feature of the Browns" top 100 all-time greats. Ambrose began his legal studies while still playing football for the Cleveland Browns, graduating magna cum laude in 1987 from Cleveland–Marshall College of Law. After graduating from Cleveland-Marshall, he joined the firm of McDonald Hopkins.
He has also been associated with the firms of Chriszt McGarry Company and Nicola Gudbranson and Cooper.
He was the presiding judge in the trial of Anthony Sowell, the Cleveland serial killer who was found guilty on 82 charges. On August 12, 2011 Ambrose sentenced Sowell to death.