Browns fans are particularly skittish about NFL owners haggling with Cleveland’s local government for help with stadium renovation.
After former Browns owner Art Modell could not negotiate an agreement with the municipality in the 1990s, Cleveland spent several years without their beloved Browns as Modell moved the existing franchise to Baltimore.
Now, current Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is involved in another dispute with Cleveland’s government, allegedly attempting to secure more than $500 million from the town to refurbish the stadium.
The alternative would be to build a stadium away from the downtown Cleveland area, and at least one current player is not a fan of the idea.
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward – who is from nearby Macedonia, Ohio – came to the defense of keeping the team in their current stadium.
In a video clip posted by an ESPN Cleveland producer, Ward told reporters he wants the team to remain in it’s current location because of his connection to Cleveland.
#Browns Denzel on the potential of the stadium moving out of downtown. pic.twitter.com/HJeSCBYupf
— Coop (@JJCoop25) April 16, 2024
Ward said he was a fan of the historic stadium and appreciated playing in an open-air facility, as opposed to the retractable roof stadium that has been part of the proposed upgrades at a new location.
Ultimately, the defensive back would coalesce around either a renovation to the current Cleveland stadium or at a new location, saying he would be open to changes that benefit the team.
Ward was a first-round pick by the Browns in 2018 and has played in 79 games since joining the team.
The cornerback has 15 interceptions since joining the league, scoring two defensive touchdowns as a professional athlete.
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