Browns, Rams upset at Kosar’s words

8/12/2013

CLEVELAND — The Browns have told former quarterback Bernie Kosar to "watch his words."

On Sunday, team CEO Joe Banner condemned Kosar for harsh on-air comments he made about the St. Louis Rams during Thursday night's local TV broadcast of their exhibition opener against Cleveland.

Kosar, working as an analyst, was brutal in his assessment of third-string quarterback Kellen Clemens, the Rams' receivers and receivers coach Ray Sherman.

Banner said Kosar's conduct was unacceptable.

"We don't condone the personal and unprofessional approach that Bernie took with some of his comments during the broadcast Thursday night," Banner said in a statement. "We've spoken to Bernie, he understands that, and we would expect the situation is resolved moving forward. We've also reached out to the Rams organization and have shared those same sentiments."

The Browns said Kosar called Rams coach Jeff Fisher personally and apologized. The Browns also said Kosar will continue to work the preseason games along with play-by-play announcer Jim Donovan.

Fisher first noted the Browns were "a first-class organization" on Saturday before saying he had lost a lot of respect for Kosar, and was disappointed he would target Clemens.

"I feel bad for them [the Browns] that they had someone doing the broadcast feel the need to speak that way about players, specifically on our team and coaches for that matter," he said.

After Donovan relayed a story during the telecast that Clemens had recently met the Pope, Kosar said, "Bless me father for I have sinned. I have to watch him the whole fourth quarter."

Later, Kosar called the Rams' receivers "horrible" and said of Sherman, "I'm checking through the itinerary here of guys, of coaches to see who the receiver coach is, to make sure I don't know this guy is," Kosar said. "Because he's not doing very good, either."