It’s not uncommon for NFL legends to face health challenges after contributing on the gridiron for so long, and sadly, the former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar is no exception. But when news broke about his alleged brain cancer diagnosis recently, Kosar addressed it with a poignant yet simple action on his Instagram.
“Cleveland Browns legend [Bernie Kosar] diagnosed with Stage IV glioblastoma,” the post said. “One of the deadliest brain cancers; the Browns fan community is urged to pray.” However, Jim McCarthy Jr., one of Kosar’s friends, snubbed the reports as “Fake News.”
To that end, the former Browns QB reposted McCarthy’s Instagram Story, confirming the update with his response, “Fake News Alert”
Stage IV glioblastoma, also known as GBM, is a malignant Grade IV brain tumor that begins in the glial cells (astrocytes) of the brain or spinal cord. It is the most common primary brain cancer, known for rapid growth, infiltration of nearby brain tissue, and poor prognosis with no known cure. While Bernie Kosar cleared himself of the alleged brain cancer diagnosis, he has a long history of health complications.
In 2023, he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and early signs of Parkinson’s disease. With time, the cirrhosis rapidly progressed to liver failure, and he was placed on the national liver transplant waiting list in April 2024. On November 17, 2025, Kosar successfully received a liver transplant at University Hospitals Cleveland. The organ was donated via a direct family match program from a deceased 21-year-old Browns fan named Bryce Dunlap.
However, the complications followed. In less than a month after surgery in December, Kosar was re-hospitalised. He was diagnosed with Sepsis, E. coli, and C. diff infections acquired in the aftermath of his surgery. Not just that, in January 2026, the Browns legend was readmitted due to a minor acute liver rejection episode, which doctors successfully controlled using intravenous therapies.
Most recently, in May 2026, Kosar found himself in a hospital bed again. However, the cause behind it remained undisclosed.
“Going a little too hard,” said Kosar in a video on Facebook. “Found my way back into the hospital. Let’s get this procedure over with and have a winning day. See you next week. UMatter.”
Apart from the health complications, Bernie Kosar’s life was also marred by several injuries stemming from his football career.
As a standout QB, Kosar spent 12 seasons playing for multiple NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns. But such long tenures often leave detrimental effects in a sport like football. He has undergone roughly 40 surgeries and sustained 80 broken bones, including around 100 concussions.
Now, repetitive concussions usually result in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which the 62-year-old has also been a prominent advocate for. In contact sports like football or boxing, evidence of it has always been frequent. By shedding light on this mental health issue, Kosar feels fulfilled in his mission to help others understand the seriousness.
“Being able now to try to bring awareness for this for guys like myself to try to come out the other side of it is something like I’m really proud to be seeing,” said Kosar in an interview with Fox News in 2023.
However, Bernie Kosar isn’t the only NFL player to have struggled due to CTE. To that end, a few even lost their lives because of it. Earl Morrall, who won two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins in 1972 and 1973, was revealed to have suffered from advanced Stage 4 CTE before his passing in 2014. So, the brain condition is quite critical. However, Kosar hasn’t officially been diagnosed with it yet.
As things stand, the 62-year-old appears to have a healthy life, free from any health issues.
A look into Bernie Kosar’s NFL career
Bernie Kosar started his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns in 1985. And right from his rookie year, the Browns let him start after veteran Gary Danielson suffered a shoulder injury. In that season, Kosar played 12 games, recording 1,578 passing yards and eight touchdowns.
The momentum continued. Kosar spent 8.5 years with the Browns. But he never played a Super Bowl game with the Cleveland-based team. In the middle of the 1993 season, around November, the Browns’ then HC Bill Belichick released Kosar following a Week 10 loss to Denver, citing “diminishing skill” and a desire to take the team in a different direction.
But fate had plans set for Kosar. In the same week, the Dallas Cowboys QB1, Troy Aikman, suffered an injury, following which they roped in Kosar on a one-year deal. He became the backup quarterback for rookie Jason Garrett in the 1993 season. Aikman later recovered and led the team to clinch Super Bowl XXVIII. Kosar, being part of the roster, also won his first Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Following the Super Bowl victory, the Cowboys released Kosar. And in the last three seasons of his NFL career, the QB played for the Miami Dolphins. Ultimately, Kosar retired at the end of the 1996 season. Despite that, he actively takes part in conversations around the NFL. Most recently, Kosar even subtly endorsed Shedeur Sanders to be the Browns’ QB1 for the 2026 season.
“I really enjoyed how Sanders played at the end of last season,” Kosar told Yahoo Sports Daily. “Us quarterbacks, we get a lot of credit — too much credit when we win and too much blame when we lose. But I really believe we are victims or beneficiaries of the guys around us. We were very void of talent with the Browns on offense last year. So for Shedeur to come in as a rookie with a really limited, talented roster around him offensively, he certainly made plays.”
At 62, Kosar’s love for the game remains strong, despite a few health complications that have made his availability and participation in conversations around the sport tough.
