The Cleveland Browns are slated to make significant roster changes in the months leading up to the 2026 NFL season. Between signing free agents, making any trades, and looking forward to new prospects in the draft, this team has a lot of work to do.
It’s no secret that the Browns have been among the worst teams in the league over the past two seasons, and they’re hoping to do whatever they can to remedy that moving forward. While they’d like to be better and more relevant as soon as the 2026 season, it would be ideal for them to be a put-together team by 2029, when their new stadium is slated to open.
Initial renderings have been released of their new stadium, which, according to Sports Business Journal, will “feature a 6,500-seat Dawg Pound Stand that becomes the NFL’s steepest section when it opens in 2029.”
Fans’ opinions have been split about a section like this, with some having safety concerns and wondering if it’s in the team’s best interest. Others have been more positive about the “Dawg Pound,” including Pat McAfee, who expressed his support.
“I love it… the encouragement from folks around you to fully embrace the environment and be a weapon for your team. It empowers LOUD… it’s why good Student Sections are awesome,” McAfee said.
I love it… the encouragement from the folks all around you to fully embrace the environment and be a weapon for your team.
It empowers LOUD… it’s why good Student Sections are awesome https://t.co/0WwS8L8ugW
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 15, 2026
A section like this upcoming Dawg Pound is very similar to student sections, as McAfee mentioned, and it’s also similar to sections featured in soccer stadiums around the world. Soccer stadiums are often filled with some of the most rowdy fans in any sport, and their supporters’ sections can get especially rowdy and chaotic.
This is a newer concept for NFL stadiums, and it will be interesting to see how it works out for the Browns. If it goes well, other new stadiums will likely include it in their building plans, or teams with existing stadiums could figure out ways to build it in.
If it goes poorly, however, it could be yet another reason for football fans to ridicule the fanbase, potentially making fun of the Browns for including a new feature that fails.
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