Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar is suing a media company he alleges forced him to make a ceremonial bet that lost him his job on the team’s pregame show last year, according to court documents.
Kosar was pulled off the Browns’ pregame radio show in January 2023 for betting on their season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which the team said was a violation of the NFL’s gambling policy. Team employees are prohibited from placing bets.
Kosar said on his radio show that he bet $19,000 on the Browns and would be giving the winnings to charity. Kosar wore the No. 19 when he starred with the Browns during the 1980s.
The lawsuit, which was filed in April and lists Cleveland-based media company Bigplay LLC and co-owner Kendall Myles as defendants, alleges Kosar was told he would have to personally place a $19,000 bet on the Browns to beat the Steelers, which is at odds with the contract.
According to the lawsuit, the agreement called for Kosar to place a wager on a sports betting app for a New Year’s party charity event and that Kosar would “not be liable, nor responsible, for the amount of the wager nor will be entitled to any winnings that may occur as a result of the wager.”
The lawsuit also alleges Myles verbally assaulted and threatened Kosar and claims there are multiple instances in which the contract was not honored. According to the lawsuit, Myles attempted to renegotiate terms of the agreement in September 2023 and two weeks after Kosar declined, his contract was wrongfully terminated.
Kosar is seeking more than $900,000 in damages.
A lawyer for Myles did not immediately return a request for comment.