Bernie Kosar received a liver transplant on Monday, more than a year after being placed on the waiting list.
“Hey, I’m out and I’m feeling good. Just ready to enjoy the rest of the week and the rest of our lives,” the former Cleveland Browns and University of Miami quarterback said in a brief video posted on social media following the surgery.
Kosar told Cleveland Magazine last year that he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s disease. He said he had been affected by liver-related issues for years but brushed them off because he wasn’t sure of the source. A diagnosis of cirrhosis in late 2023 confirmed the severity of his condition.
The 61-year-old went on the transplant waiting list last July. He was scheduled to receive a liver transplant last weekend but said that it was delayed because the donor’s organ was infected. During the past week, he has undergone five procedures to stop internal bleeding.
Kosar played in the NFL for 12 seasons after leading the University of Miami to its first national championship during the 1983 season. He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio rooting for the Browns, who selected him in the 1985 NFL supplemental draft. He played for the Browns from 1985-93, leading the franchise to three AFC championship game appearances (1986, 1987 and 1989), losing each time to the Denver Broncos. Kosar is third all-time in franchise history with 21,904 passing yards.
After being released by the Browns, Kosar joined the Dallas Cowboys for the remainder of the 1993 season and won a Super Bowl ring. He then played for the Miami Dolphins from 1994 to 1996.
The Browns played a tribute video for Kosar before Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that he texted with Kosar on Sunday night and wished him luck.
“Yeah, I mean, Bernie’s my guy. I know that this town has such a special relationship with Bernie from his playing days and then the impact that he’s had on this community over the course of all these years,” Stefanski said. “I didn’t have that experience with Bernie prior to coming here, but since I’ve been here, he has just been such a supportive person of me, so kind to my family. I think he sees my family every game day and just is so good to them. So, he’s a special person. He’s a special Cleveland Brown, and we are all rooting for him and we are all right there with him right now.”
