Bernie Kosar issues apology after losing Browns radio gig due to NFL wager
Cleveland legend wasn’t aware $19,000 promotional bet on Browns violated league rules
Former NFL star Bernie Kosar issued an apology on January 9 as part of his first public statement since being formally removed from the Cleveland Browns’ pregame radio show the day prior due to gambling-related breaches of NFL laws.
Ahead of the final Sunday of the NFL regular season, Kosar was informed by the Browns that his services were “no longer desired or needed” on account of a wager he’d made on the team’s Week 18 game vs. the Steelers as part of the rollout of legalized sports betting in Ohio.
Kosar had made a $19,000 bet – a reference to the Browns legend’s No. style ok? 19 jersey – on Cleveland to beat Pittsburgh. The bet was intended to be promotional, with Kosar stating he would be donating any winnings to charity.
The Browns, however, deemed it a violation of the NFL’s gambling policy and promptly relieved Kosar of his duties on the team’s radio broadcast.
In his statement, Kosar noted he believed his status as an independent contractor – and not an employee of the Browns – insulated him from such repercussions.
“I’m sorry I had to put them in this position,” Kosar said. “I didn’t want to put them in this position, but because I am not an employee, I didn’t think that was going to be an issue because it was for charity.
“I figured this was a great way to raise money for foundations and for charities and stuff,” he added.
The Browns issued their own statement in response, which outlined how Kosar’s actions, intentions notwithstanding, were in violation of league rules and necessitated the punitive measures.
“We understand what Bernie means to this community and our history,” the statement read, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com “But as team contracted personnel hired to provide content on our media platforms, his bet was a violation of NFL rules and we must adhere to all NFL policy.”
Sports betting got off to a lightning-fast start in Ohio after launching on January 1, with geolocation specialists GeoComply reporting a record 11.3 million account pings during the first two days of operation.