[1] A graduate of Iona Prep, Ambrose played college football at the University of Virginia and earned All-ACC (first-team) honors during his junior and senior seasons.
[3] 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.
[4] He was part of the 1980 team known as the "Kardiac Kids" which won the division title for the first time since 1971 but lost in the divisional playoffs by a mere two points to the Oakland Raiders.
The Plain Dealer ranked him number 94 in its special feature of the Browns' top 100 all-time greats.
He was the presiding judge in the trial of Anthony Sowell, the Cleveland serial killer who was found guilty on 82 charges.