NFL legend Bernie Kosar battles Parkinson’s and liver failure

Former NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar has revealed that he is battling multiple medical issues, including liver failure and Parkinson’s disease.

The 60-year-old, who played for the Cleveland Browns, opened up on his health battles, saying an ‘independent NFL doctor’ diagnosed him with Parkinson’s disease in February before he was placed on a liver transplant list in late spring. 

He told Cleveland Magazine that his body ‘gave out’ during an appearance for the Browns at their December 28th matchup against the New York Jets. 

‘I really felt like I wasn’t going to make it home from the Jets game,’ Kosar said. ‘I sucked it up, though, and continued to avoid the doctors until the new year. Then I went into the hospital and got a massive blood transfusion.

‘It was like: ‘How are you alive? How are you moving? Because your hemoglobin levels are so low.’

Kosar was informed by doctors in January that he likely needed a new liver before he fell ill again in February, 

While attending the Super Bowl festivities in Las Vegas, the former signal caller’s condition worsened and he had to spend several days in hospital. 

His health continued to deteriorate through March, with Kosar saying he ‘looked like death.

‘I wish you could have seen me three months ago,’ Kosar says. ‘Actually, maybe not, because I looked like death. I felt like death. E. Coli blood poisoning. Heart trouble. And I really thought I needed the liver transplant ASAP. I was in bad shape.’ 

But his doctor, Anthony Post, offered fans optimistic news as they said that the former Super Bowl winner has improved. 

‘Liver disease does tend to fluctuate,’ says Post. ‘So he’s on that wave thing where it goes up and down. He’s in a good phase right now, but anything bad could happen.’ 

His doctors said the cause of Kosar’s liver failure has not been determined, but that the liver contains ‘an incredibly high level of an organic solvent, higher than we’ve seen literally in anyone.’ 

More to follow.