Grossi, a well-known reporter in Cleveland, was talking with Tony Rizzo about NFL quarterbacks and apparently didn’t know his microphone was live. The audio is low, so it’s difficult to understand what the full context of the discussion was, but one can clearly hear Grossi use the derogatory term “midget” when referring to Mayfield.
Rizzo could be heard saying, “Wentz, Watson, Mahomes and now Burrow.” Grossi responds: “And who do we got? A f—ing midget.”
A louder version of the audio can be heard below.
ESPN Cleveland released the following statement on the incident:
About an hour later, Grossi issued a statement of his own, apologizing for the remark.
The radio station apparently wasted no time contacting Grossi after the comments were made.
Grossi, a unique personality, is a controversial figure in Cleveland. He and Mayfield got into it in late October when Grossi asked about a failed drive the Browns had against the Patriots. Mayfield called it “the dumbest question you could ask.” The QB eventually walked away from the media saying, “Jesus, Tony.”
Grossi’s suspension is indefinite.
