Cleveland Browns great Bernie Kosar is opening up on his serious medical issues ... revealing he's currently battling both Parkinson's disease and liver failure.
The former Pro Bowl quarterback went into detail about his current health status in an interview with Cleveland Magazine this week ... when he explained he has had problems with his liver for years, but never really addressed it until he was diagnosed with cirrhosis roughly 16 months ago.
Kosar has been receiving treatment at University Hospitals in Ohio ... and his condition was described as "dire" at the start of 2024. Thankfully, it has since improved.
PETA's imploring the Cleveland Browns to do away with their live-mascot tradition following the death of their sideline dog ... telling TMZ Sports it believes the practice is harmful to animals.
Tracy Reiman -- PETA's executive vice president -- made the urging on Tuesday afternoon ... just hours after the NFL org. revealed its bullmastiff mascot, Swagger Jr., had passed away at five years old.
Reiman said in a statement that "generations of breeding for a certain look have left bullmastiffs prone to hip dysplasia, cancer, and life-threatening heart issues, among other painful conditions." She added that she believed Swagger Jr.'s death "should be seen as a damning indictment of an industry that deliberately churns out these doomed breathing-impaired breeds."
The Cleveland Browns are dealing with a heartbreaking loss on Tuesday -- the team's live mascot, Swagger Jr., has passed away.
He was just five years old.
The team posted a touching message in the Bullmastiff's honor minutes ago ... saying, "We are sad to announce the passing of our beloved mascot, SJ. We are so grateful for his many years of loyal support and cherish all of the wonderful memories he helped create for fans young and old."
12:57 PM PT -- The Cleveland Browns just announced Lonnie Phelps is no longer a member of the organization ... waiving the defensive end on Thursday.
10:46 AM PT -- TMZ Sports has obtained police video from Lonnie Phelps' arrest ... and you can see the Cleveland Browns player did appear to be noncooperative and combative throughout his time with cops.
The footage seems to show him disobeying orders constantly. It also shows him getting heated with police after they threw him in the back of a squad car.
For the Browns' part, they just released a statement on the matter ... saying, "We are aware of the incident, gathering more information and have no further comment at this time."
Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Lonnie Phelps was arrested Wednesday night ... after cops say he drunkenly crashed an SUV into a restaurant -- and then refused to cooperate with a police investigation afterward.
According to the Key West Police Department incident report, obtained by TMZ Sports, it all happened at around 8:47 PM outside of the Red Shoe Island Bistro in Key West.
Cops say they were dispatched to the scene in reference to a traffic crash ... and when they arrived, they saw a black Hyundai wedged into the side of the eatery. When officers asked bystanders who was inside the vehicle at the time of the wreck, Phelps and his girlfriend were ID'ed, police said.
Deshaun Watson just made a massive commitment to his girlfriend ... getting a huge image of her face tattooed on his left shoulder blade.
The Cleveland Browns superstar hit up Onder Ink's Andres Ortegain Arizona this month to get the work done ... and you can see, the Jilly Anais pic came out awesome, but it was just one part of a tat that now covers the entirety of the 6-foot-2 signal-caller's back.
The fresh ink also features homages to Watson's mother, his hometown and other family members.
More evidence to support the Johnny Manziel and Josie Canseco dating rumors -- the former college football superstar made another appearance on the model's social media on Thursday ... and once again, the proof is in the hand tats.
Manziel and Canseco were both in NYC this week ... and as we previously reported, it appeared the two took the flight to the Big Apple together, as the former MLB star's daughter shared a pic that showed the quarterback in the background.
If the couple(?) was trying to keep a low profile, that's all out the window now ... 'cause Canseco posted a short video at dinner -- and it's clear Manziel was right by her side.
Johnny Manziel and Jose Canseco's daughter, Josie, appear to be spending some quality time together ... after the model shared a snap of them cozying up on a plane.
Josie added the pic to her Instagram story on Tuesday ... which was meant to highlight her new Alo sneakers, but Manziel's notable hand tattoos were on display in the background.
On top of the ink, the man in the picture is also wearing a Swiftie-esque friendship bracelet that resembles a similar accessory Manziel has rocked in the past ... leading us to believe the post was a soft launch of sorts.
If they're an item, it's fair to assume they're still in the early stages ... as the two have not been spotted out on the town together just yet. They at least crossed paths and posed next to each other at Travis Scott's Cactus Jack celebrity softball game back in February ... so maybe that's when the sparks started flying??
It would be a pretty interesting pairing, to say the least -- Josie used to date rapper MIKE(FKA Mike Stud), who shared a podcast with Manziel back in the day.
The former NFL quarterback was famously married to Bre Tiesi ... although that relationship ended when the "Selling Sunset" star filed for divorce in 2019. He went on to date Kenzie Werner, but that seemingly fizzled out as well.
Johnny Manziel says he withered from 210 pounds all the way down to 170 just months after his NFL career ended ... explaining his body morphed due to "a strict diet of blow."
The former Heisman Trophy winner opened up about his struggles following his Cleveland playing days during a recent, two-hour interview with Shannon Sharpe.
In the chat on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast ... Manziel admitted he was at nearly rock bottom once he had failed the Browns in 2015 at 23 years old -- so he turned to the Las Vegas party scene to pick him up.
Apparently, his trip to Sin City included a lot of cocaine ... something he says changed his figure into an unrecognizable one.
"At that point in time, man," Manziel said, "I would look in a mirror and I didn't see myself any different than when I was in Cleveland. Until I stepped on a scale at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, I didn't realize I had lost 40 pounds at all."
"I remember these pictures came out," he continued. "I was like, 'Damn. What am I doing? Ah, whatever, we'll figure that out later. Let's go again.'"
Manziel said in addition to coke, he was also using OxyContin and Percocets.
Club Shay Shay
Johnny Football went on to lament other parts of his life in his talk with Sharpe -- including his strained relationship with LeBron James.
After Cleveland had drafted the Texas A&M QB, LeBron signed him to his agency ... and throughout his time with the Browns, Manziel said the NBA superstar tried to take him under his wing. But, while battling poor play and subsequent depression, he said he pushed the hooper away.
"LeBron would text me every week to come over to the house and watch a game or play poker with the boys and just tried to be there," Manziel said. "And I was so depressed for the first time in my life that even my biggest role model and inspiration in my life couldn't get me out of bed to come and hang out with him."
Manziel added that he still feels to this day he let the future basketball Hall of Famer down.
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Fortunately for the 31-year-old, he told Sharpe he's done a lot of growing over the last decade ... and is now, "the happiest I've ever been in my life."
Odell Beckham Jr. believes the New York Giants were trying to sabotage his career by shipping him to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 ... revealing he felt his old team made the trade just to "f*** me over."
OBJ spoke his mind on his Ravens teammate Marlon Humphrey’s "Punch Line Podcast" earlier this week ... when he opened up on his eventual departure from the organization that drafted him in 2014.
"There’s a semi bit of me that feels like the Giants sent me off, I’ve said it before, sent me off to Cleveland to die," Odell said ... adding he felt there were better deals on the table with contenders, but NY chose the less favorable destination.
"You can't tell me this was the best trade package we could have got for you ... no, your desire was to kind of f*** me over a little bit."
Beckham and defensive end Olivier Vernon were traded to The Land in exchange for safety Jabrill Peppers, guard Kevin Zeitler and a first and third-round pick ... the former eventually becoming Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, a staple for the franchise.
Beckham Jr. started off hot in the Big Apple ... but things quickly turned sour. He became just as famous for his on-field success as his antics off it, including sideline outbursts.
The current Ravens receiver believes the team didn't like the way he handled himself in the latter part of his Giants tenure ... which is why he thinks they screwed him over when he asked to be traded.
"You feel like I made a fool of you or the organization and that was never truly my intention ... I'm just that competitive," OBJ added. "I wanted to win, I always wanted to win. I’m tired of being 6-10, we haven’t done anything to make changes."
Odell said his urgency to win also had to do with his quarterback at the time, Eli Manning ... who was on the backend of his career.
"Eli's going out, I'm texting Eli like, 'You're 7th on the list for the greatest of all time.' I want to see Eli go out with another Super Bowl. We're not putting the pieces around him ... I feel like I was being wasted as well."
Odell also revealed how he found out he was traded ... saying he was overseas at the time, and the whole situation was "a lot" for him.
"To me, whether that's right, wrong or indifferent, it felt like a move that had a bit of spite a bit of like ... you're not finna go somewhere else and shine and make us look bad."
Odell was later cut by the Browns after three seasons -- he went on to win a Super Bowl with the Rams before joining the Ravens in 2023, where he is currently pursuing another championship ring.
Browns legend Josh Cribbs has come down with Joe Flacco Fever ... but diagnosis aside, he believes the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award still belongs to Damar Hamlin ... telling TMZ Sports he believes the Bills safety earned the recognition after resuming his NFL career this season.
38-year-old Flacco has exceeded all expectations since joining the Browns in November ... leading Cleveland to a 4-1 record after Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson went down with injuries.
Despite helping the Browns reach the playoffs, Cribbs -- who had nothing but praise for the former Super Bowl MVP -- says Hamlin's story is simply too special to pass on when the league recognizes players at the end of the season.
"Right now, I say it's Damar Hamlin," Cribbs told us this week. "He came back to life on the field. He came back to life to play back again in the NFL. He is a player who essentially lost his life on the football field."
Of course, Damar saw a bit of action in the 2023-24 season ... a special moment for the player and the entire NFL after he suffered cardiac arrest against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
"For him to have lost his life on the field and then came back, I definitely would give it to Damar Hamlin," Cribbs says.
The former return specialist gives Flacco his flowers, though ... commending the guy for going from "being on the couch with a beer" to becoming Cleveland's improbable hero.
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Cribbs has full confidence in Flacco's abilities to take the Browns deep in the playoffs ... but even if they make it to the Super Bowl, he says it'll be Watson's team no matter what next season.
Cribbs backs his belief ... saying considering the Browns are paying Deshaun a massive contract, there's no way he isn't under center in 2024.
"Flacco is the now, Deshaun is no question the future," Cribbs said. "Not because of what he did in Houston, not because of what Flacco is doing right now. He's the future because he's got $230 million guaranteed. So, there is no discussion about it. He is the quarterback of the future."
As for the Browns' Wild Card matchup with the Texans, he believes Cleveland will win comfortably ... and he isn't too concerned about rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud going up against their elite defense.
The Dawg Pound is rallying behind Joe Flacco with their wallets amid the Browns' surprising winning streak ... with fans rushing to buy the backup-backup-backup QB's jersey!!!
The former Super Bowl winner's journey back to the gridiron has been one of the biggest storylines of the season -- he went from sitting on the couch on Sundays to leading the Browns to a 4-1 record after Cleveland lost Deshaun Watson and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson to injuries.
TMZ Sports has learned ... No. 15 threads have been a hot commodity since Flacco took over under center in December.
Fanatics -- the league's official e-commerce partner -- tells us Flacco is among the top 20 most popular jerseys in the NFL ... and is currently the top-selling Browns player.
In fact, we're told the sales spiked more than 400% during the span of his first victory on Dec. 10 to his playoff berth-clinching performance on Thursday Night Football against his former New York Jets team on Dec. 28.
FYI, Flacco has led the Browns with 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns in just five games ... which is more than he had when he played for the Jets in TWO seasons.
It's been quite the feel-good story after Flacco tried to find a new home for the past five seasons. Remember, Joe signed with the Denver Broncos, Jets and Philadelphia Eagles after spending 11 years with the Baltimore Ravens.
He won Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens in 2013, their second in franchise history.
Now, he has a chance for another championship run with the Browns ... who will face either the Jaguars or the winner of the Texans vs. Colts matchup during Wild Card Weekend.
If Dr.Bennet Omalu -- the inspiration for the famous Will Smith "Concussion" movie -- were advising Elijah Moore following his scary head injury on Thursday night ... he says he'd tell the Browns wideout to retire.
"That is my recommendation," the famed neuropathologist tells TMZ Sports.
Moore was hurt in the second quarter of Cleveland's win over the Jets on "Thursday Night Football" -- and the scene was horrifying.
Moore did not finish the game and stayed the night at a local hospital -- and Omalu says if he had things his way, it'd be the last time Moore ever sees an NFL field again.
"He was having a seizure," Omalu said Friday. "A seizure is a manifestation of brain damage, brain injury."
"That is permanent damage."
There currently is no timetable for a return for Moore -- he's been placed in the NFL's concussion protocol while he remains at home recovering.
Omalu tells us if Moore doesn't retire -- he'd at least urge the receiver to sit out the rest of this season ... even if that means missing Cleveland's upcoming playoff run.
"Given what I saw in that video, he should be benched for rest of the season," Omalu said. "For at least three months."
Moore has been one of the Browns' best players in 2023 -- logging 59 catches for 640 yards and two TDs in 16 games played.
David Njokuhelped the Browns clinch a playoff berth on the field on Thursday night ... and then he helped Cleveland's fans celebrate off of it -- shooting booze with Dawg Pound supporters in a parking lot!!!
The star tight end was seen performing the awesome gesture just minutes after Cleveland's 37-20 victory over the Jets.
In video from the scene, you can see Njoku -- who had 134 receiving yards in the "TNF" victory -- grab a shot glass, surround himself with fans and give a little toast before he throws the drink back.
The 27-year-old, though, had already gotten the party started well before he met the supporters outside Cleveland Browns Stadium ... he was spotted on the TV broadcast chugging a beer when he jumped into the stands following the dub.
Of course, it's great to see Njoku in good spirits ... because, remember, the former first-round pick nearly lost his eyesight in a terrifying fire accident on Sept. 29th.
The Browns don't play next 'til Jan. 10 ... so don't be surprised if Njoku keeps the celebration going for at least a few more days!!
9:37 AM PT -- Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski just revealed Elijah Moore spent Thursday night in the hospital ... though he said the wideout is now at home resting.
The Browns' win on Thursday night came with a cost -- their star receiver, Elijah Moore, suffered a terrifying head injury that sent him into convulsions right on the turf.
The scary moment happened just before halftime of Cleveland's "Thursday Night Football" tilt with the New York Jets ... when Moore slammed his head face-first into the grass at Cleveland Browns Stadium after making a big catch.
Replays of Moore's grab showed he wasn't able to brace himself as a Jets defender flung him to the ground -- and almost immediately, he appeared to be knocked out.
What's worse ... while seemingly unconscious, his body twitched repeatedly.
Moore eventually regained consciousness and was taken off the field by trainers. He did not return to the game ... and he's since been placed in the NFL's concussion protocol.
His status for Cleveland's regular-season finale against the Bengals next week is now in doubt -- though further details surrounding his condition have not been made immediately available.
Moore had been having a big game prior to his injury -- the 23-year-old caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Cleveland still managed to get the 37-20 win in Moore's absence -- securing a spot in the playoffs ... something we all hope can lift Moore's spirits while he recovers.
Cleveland Browns star David Njokuburned nearly a quarter of his body during his serious bonfire mishap earlier this season ... with the tight end's doctor revealing his injuries were "probably the most painful burn you can have."
The 27-year-old sat in front of a camera and detailed the September 29 incident this week ... giving a play-by-play of exactly what happened that fateful night.
Njoku said he likes to have bonfires in his backyard to relax on Fridays ... and after running out of his usual lighter fluid, he tried out a spray to ignite the logs in his pit.
Unfortunately ... when he went to start the fire, particles in the air caught ablaze and blew up in his face.
Dr. Joseph Khouri of University Hospitals explained the extent of Njoku's ailments ... saying he had second-degree partial-thickness burns, which involve the top two layers of the skin.
Khouri recommended Njoku not play right after the incident ... but of course, the tight end did the exact opposite -- suiting up for the Browns just two days later, calling the matchup against the hated rival Ravens "personal," and stating there was no way he wasn't going to play.
Njoku ended up recording six catches for 46 yards in the contest ... and he said he felt "intense" pain throughout.
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Now, Njoku is using his platform to speak out on burn victim advocacy ... and is repping the American Burn Association for the league's "My Cause My Cleats" promotion this weekend.
Browns cornerback Mike Ford ditched the Dude Wipes for something much different after Cleveland's big win over Pittsburgh on Sunday ... taking a Steelers fan's Terrible Towel and rubbing it all over his rump!!
Vibes were high as the Orange and Brown improved to 7-3 on the season after holding off their division rival in the 13-10 victory ... and to add insult to injury, Ford decided to have a one-on-one interaction with a Steelers backer who was standing in the front of the stands.
In a clip of the exchange, Ford ran right up to the guy in a Hines Ward jersey and threw the Terrible Towel on the ground ... before handing him a Browns rag.
But what had Steelers fans most irked is when he took the yellow cloth and pretended to wipe his ass with it as he ran toward the locker room.
After their win, #Browns CB Mike Ford threw a Terrible Towel to the ground and gifted a Steelers fan in the crowd with a Browns towel.
The taunting might worry Browns fans ... as some believe in the Curse of the Terrible Towel, which leads to a bunch of losing for anyone who disrespects the team's signature cloth.
It was an emotional day for the Dawg Pound for several reasons ... but the most touching moment came when Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski gave a game ball to longtime Cleveland play-by-play announcer Jim Donovan, who returned to the booth for the first time since receiving leukemia treatment earlier this season.
Following today's win over the #Steelers, #Browns coach Kevin Stefanski fittingly awarded the game ball to... our own Jim Donovan 🏈
