ESPN Cleveland suspends analyst who called Baker Mayfield a ‘f---ing midget’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ESPN Cleveland has suspended analyst Tony Grossi indefinitely and issued a public apology after the reporter was caught on a hot mic calling Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield a “f---ing midget” during a live stream that surfaced on Tuesday.
Grossi made the comment during a livestream when discussing young quarterbacks he would prefer over Mayfield, who was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. The comment was apparently made when Grossi believed he was not on the air.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“And who do we got? A f---king midget,” Grossi said.
ESPN Cleveland suspended analyst Tony Grossi indefinitely for calling Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield a derogatory slur.
ESPN’s Cleveland affiliate, which includes two radio stations and digital content, acted quickly to sideline Grossi and condemn the remark.
“We are aware of Tony Grossi’s statement about Baker Mayfield. The term Tony used is a derogatory slur to describe Little People. Good Karma Brands will not tolerate derogatory language that demeans others or groups of people,” ESPN Cleveland said in a statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We are addressing this matter with Tony directly, and while we normally do not comment on personnel matters, we do want to share that we have made the decision to immediately and indefinitely suspend Tony Grossi,” the statement continued. “In addition, we will pursue sensitivity and inclusion training for everyone on our content teams across our company. From Good Karma Brands, to our fans, our partners, the Browns and Baker Mayfield – we are sorry.”
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Mayfield, who is listed at 6-foot-1, threw for 3,827 yards and 22 touchdowns with 21 interceptions during a disappointing sophomore season. Back in October, Mayfield mocked Grossi during a press conference when the ESPN Cleveland analyst asked if he was happy with a drive that didn’t result in a score.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“That’s the dumbest question you could ask,” Mayfield said.
The fiery QB told reporters after the season he wasn’t exactly happy with the way it turned out. However, he vowed to come back stronger than ever.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Going to come back a different animal come springtime,” Mayfield said.
Good Karma Brands is a media and marketing company that works with ESPN radio stations in Wisconsin, Chicago, Cleveland and Florida.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.