The two have since exchanged apologies.

Brett, 33, who wishes to remain anonymous, had his own message for owner Randy Lerner and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Brett, a North Royalton native, has lived in Pittsburgh since 1999, working seven years at a record label before joining a radio station he did not want named.

''If he actually gets fired for that, I hope to God he doesn't,'' Brett said by telephone, ''I'd like Randy Lerner to call me. It shows Phil Savage has a passion for the game. That's what we need. If he does get fired over something like this, we need a new owner.''

As for Goodell, Brett said he delivered his plea during a television interview he did Thursday.

''I looked right into the camera and said, 'If Roger Goodell is watching this, you just reinstated Pacman Jones, you've got that cokehead Matt Jones still playing. You can't do anything to Phil Savage over this,'' Brett said.

Savage was scouting on the West Coast but issued a statement confirming that he sent the e-mail. According to deadspin.com, Savage's response to Brett included an abbreviated expletive.

''It happened. We have both apologized to each other since,'' Savage said in the statement. ''Browns fans have been overwhelmingly positive towards me since 2005 and I appreciate that greatly.''

Savage told the Associated Press, ''There had been previous e-mails from him over the months and enough was enough.''

Browns coach Romeo Crennel surprisingly confirmed the Internet report at his news conference Thursday.

''We all get frustrated at times,'' Crennel said. ''Phil generally, like the rest of us, tries to be professional and hold it in. But sometimes some things slip out. It's unfortunate that it slipped out. Tough times, tough things happen. I'm sure that if we had it to do over again, we'd do it a little bit differently.

''I talked to him this morning and said 'We've just got to hang in there and we've got to keep fighting and try to get this thing turned [around].' ''

Asked if the fans were too passionate, Crennel said: ''The fans have always been passionate. That's one of the things that makes 'em great fans.''

Browns center Hank Fraley said those involved in professional sports have to develop a thick skin.

''You have to be able to block it out and kind of laugh at it,'' Fraley said. ''Some comments are very funny. Some guys take criticism different than others. Some can laugh at it and shrug it off and some let it bother them. To be in this business, you can't let it bother you long.''

Brett said he sent Savage an apology Wednesday night ''when I realized what the original e-mail actually said.''

''Saying this was worse than the Butch Davis regime . . . Oh, God, no. None of those guys were in the NFL after Butch left. The only thing he did was give us Kellen Winslow,'' Brett said.

When he got the heated response from Savage, Brett said: ''I busted out laughing. That was the last thing I expected to see when I went crazy in the middle of a game. It was sent at 12:17 a.m. I bet he forgot to type, 'We won.' ''

As for Savage's apology, Brett said: ''I told him he didn't owe me an apology. I got what I deserved.''

Asked what he would say to his hometown fans who want Savage's head, Brett said: ''I'd like to tell all those people to lighten up. It was two people who got really angry and had a passion for the game. That's what football is all about. It was nothing to be offended by.''