"I visualize good health. It’s not so much that I’m trying to sell it to myself, or that I’m in denial, as it is choosing to be positive,” Kosar said.
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar has revealed his diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease and liver failure in a new interview with Cleveland Magazine on Tuesday, July 9.
The 60-year-old NFL legend disclosed that he was diagnosed with cirrhosis, the third of four stages of liver failure, in March 2023, and later with Parkinson’s disease in mid-February 2024.
Kosar shared with the publication that his health dramatically declined as the new year began.
“I went into the hospital and got a massive blood transfusion," he recounted. "It was like: ‘How are you alive? How are you moving? Because your hemoglobin levels are so low.’’’
Dr. Anthony Post, a hepatologist at University Hospitals, explained to Cleveland Magazine that “liver disease does tend to fluctuate,” noting that Kosar is experiencing these fluctuations.
“He’s in a good phase right now, but anything bad could happen,” Dr. Post cautioned.
Dr. Michael Roizen, emeritus chief wellness officer of Cleveland Clinic and one of Kosar’s doctors, stated that there is a 90% chance the retired athlete will need a liver transplant. Roizen described the transplant process as challenging, both in obtaining the transplant and living with it.
“Remarkably — you know, he takes a lot of supplements, he’s been exercising, has been on a good diet, and is taking the medications that we’ve prescribed him, and we’ve been following him pretty closely — he’s really gotten a lot better,” Dr. Post said.
“I wish you could have seen me three months ago,” Kosar reflected. “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.”
He elaborated on his current health regimen, which includes juicing, black coffee, smart supplementation, and intermittent fasting. “Basically, I’m using food as medicine and avoiding processed foods, and foods with inflammatory properties,” he said.
“It’s amazing that you can feel as good as I do despite all this stuff going on. I can see that what I’m doing is making a difference. I strongly believe it will continue. Time will tell,” he expressed.
The former athlete emphasized his belief in the power of positive thinking.
“I believe that positive energy can be manifested in our brains, and I love to live in the space of positivity. I want to think about things that are helpful,” he explained.
“I visualize good health. It’s not so much that I’m trying to sell it to myself, or that I’m in denial, as it is choosing to be positive,” he said. “Because everybody’s got something. We’ve all got health issues to some degree, we all have bumps in the road."
Kosar, originally from Youngstown, Ohio, spent the majority of his NFL career with the Browns. He also had stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins before retiring in 1996.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Hashr: 01 - 02
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth glorifies Allah. For He is the Almighty, All-Wise.
He is the One Who expelled the disbelievers of the People of the Book from their homes for ˹their˺ first banishment ˹ever˺. You never thought they would go. And they thought their strongholds would put them out of Allah’s reach. But ˹the decree of˺ Allah came upon them from where they never expected. And He cast horror into their hearts so they destroyed their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers. So take a lesson ˹from this˺, O people of insight!
