Gregg Williams (left) and Tony Grossi (right)
By Ben Axelrod on

When it comes to the Cleveland Browns beat, Tony Grossi is undeniably a lightning rod.

While some fans appreciate the longtime beat reporter/columnist’s brutal honesty, others believe he’s unnecessarily negative. Perhaps most famously, Grossi drew the scorn of former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, who the reporter was later caught on a hot mic referring to as a “f***ing midget.”

But whether you love him or hate him, Grossi is undoubtedly one of the most prominent figures in the Cleveland media sphere. As such, former Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is attempting to capitalize on the ESPN Cleveland reporter’s polarizing nature by giving away an autographed picture of himself admonishing Grossi during his introductory press conference as a part of his Come Get Some show, which he hosts with his son, Blake Williams.

Never one to bite his tongue, it didn’t take long for Grossi to respond. In doing so, he shed some light on Williams asking him, “Are you Tony?” with which the former NFL assistant inscribed his autograph.

“GW knew who I was when he sought the Browns HC job in 2001 and phoned me for inside dope on the situation,” Grossi wrote. “20+ years later, I’m thriving in a new media environment, and he’s out of the NFL and doing a talk show with his son. #comegetsome”

Good lord, Tony. That man has a family (including, to Grossi’s point, his current podcast co-host).

Say what you will about Grossi—and some of the criticism he faces is fair—but he has every right to defend himself against Williams using his name to promote his show. Even in 2017, Williams called him out at the introductory press conference, which appeared to be performative, and Grossi’s revelation regarding their previous interactions seemingly confirms as much.

Conversely, when it comes to comparing their respective career trajectories, Grossi isn’t being totally fair; not only does Williams now host a video podcast with his son—a former NFL assistant whose career stops largely followed his father’s—but he’s also currently the defensive coordinator for the United Football League’s D.C. Defenders. But unless Williams manages to make his way back to the NFL, it appears any future interactions between the two will be limited to social media.

[Tony Grossi on X]

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

View all posts by Ben Axelrod