If you’re looking for something extra to get you fired up for Monday night’s critical showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, we have the clip for you. Adam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber, host of several Cleveland sports’ based talk shows didn’t hold back what he hopes happens at Acrisure Stadium in Week Two.
As initially pointed out by one Browns’ Twitter account, Gerstenhaber said he hoped Steelers’ players would get injured during the game and need help getting off the field.
Appearing on his show, Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, here’s the full quote as tweeted out by @JThrock45_.
“I want to see Steelers’ players, I know some people are going to cringe when I say this,” he said. “I don’t give a you-know-what. I need Steelers players to leave the game and need help to get off the field. Make all the cringe faces you want. I don’t want anyone permanently disabled or hurt permanently. Kick their behind.”
Stay classy, Cleveland. It’s courteous of him to say “behind” three seconds after hoping Steelers players get hurt in this game. He added the caveat of not wanting anyone permanently hurt – how thoughtful – but only after his co-host Jay Crawford made this face indicating he probably needed to back off.
Though not a national name, Gerstenhaber was a host on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland before leaving in April of 2022. He also hosted a CBS Sports radio show from 2013 to 2018. Evidently, he isn’t even a Browns’ fan, his bio noting the Cincinnati Bengals are his favorite football team. Maybe their reputation rubbed off on him.
In the two team’s first meeting last season, Browns LB Anthony Walker after tearing his quad while being blocked by Steelers’ OT Chukwuma Okorafor, a legal but unfortunate play. Perhaps that’s where Gerstenhaber’s unjustified anger and remarks are coming from. Or maybe it’s just a shock jock doing what shock jocks do. Saying anything to get attention. Here it is, I guess.
Pittsburgh comes into this game injured enough. DL Cam Heyward was placed on injured reserve yesterday with a groin injury that required surgery. He’s expected to miss the next two months. WR Diontae Johnson is doubtful to play due to a hamstring injury while OT Chukwuma Okorafor is still working through concussion protocol and DL Larry Ogunjobi is battling a foot injury, failing to practice Friday. Cleveland has their own injury concerns, losing RT Jack Conklin for the year due to an ACL/MCL tear, while S Juan Thornhill is battling a calf injury.
All that aside, we’re hoping every player Monday night stays healthy and comes off the field under their own power. Obviously, Gerstenhaber is just a random dude on the Internet, the Browns won’t be set out to injure anyone, and this is fodder ahead of a quiet weekend. But if there’s one suggestion for anyone with a microphone, don’t even imply you’re rooting for anyone to get hurt. It’s seriously not hard.
