Former Browns QB Great Bernie Kosar Facing Health Challenges
Former Cleveland Browns star quarterback Bernie Kosar has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson’s disease, as reported by Cleveland Magazine.
At 60 years old, Kosar is currently on the waiting list for a liver transplant. University Hospitals hepatologist Anthony Post mentioned to the magazine that Kosar’s condition has seen improvement since the beginning of the year, although he cautions that liver disease can be unpredictable.
Cleveland Clinic’s chief wellness officer, Michael Roizen, also noted that there is a greater than 90% likelihood that Kosar will need a liver transplant.
Kosar revealed that he received a Parkinson’s diagnosis from an independent NFL doctor in February.
Hailing from Youngstown, Ohio, Kosar reflected on years of liver-related issues that he had previously dismissed due to uncertainty about their cause. A diagnosis of cirrhosis about 16 months ago clarified the seriousness of his condition.
“My body gave out on me,” Kosar shared, recalling a December incident while attending a Browns home game against the New York Jets. “I really felt like I wasn’t going to make it home from the Jets game. I toughed it out, though, and continued to avoid the doctors until the new year.”
Kosar eventually went to the hospital and underwent a significant blood transfusion. “It was like, ‘How are you alive? How are you moving? Because your hemoglobin levels are so low,'” he recounted.
Kosar fell ill again while traveling to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas and was hospitalized for several days.
