Bernie Kosar will undergo a liver transplant on Monday morning. Former University of Miami and Cleveland Browns The star guard shared the news on social media Sunday evening.
“Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support – it really means a lot to me,” Kosar wrote in a post from his hospital bed.
The 61-year-old was due to receive a liver transplant last weekend but said it was delayed because the donor organ was infected. Over the past week, he has undergone five procedures to stop internal bleeding.
Last year, Kosar told Cleveland Magazine that he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson's disease. He said he suffered from liver problems for years but brushed them off because he wasn't sure of the source. The diagnosis of liver cirrhosis, made at the end of 2023, confirmed the severity of his condition.
Kosar played in NFL for 12 seasons after leading the University of Miami to its first national championship in the 1983 season. He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, and rooted for the Browns, who selected him in the 1985 NFL supplemental draft. He played for the Browns from 1985 to 1993, leading the team to three AFC Championship appearances (1986, 1987 and 1989), losing each time to the Denver Broncos. Kosar ranks third in franchise history with 21,904 passing yards.
After being released by the Browns, Kosar joined the Dallas Cowboys for the rest of the 1993 season and won a Super Bowl ring. He then played for the Miami Dolphins from 1994 to 1996.
