CLEVELAND — Anticipation has been sky-high for the Browns' home opener against the New York Jets, and not just for the game itself.
For weeks, the team has been teasing a new pregame entrance for its players. On Sunday, we finally saw it come to life, with the club paying homage to its famous "Dawg Pound."
As the Browns came out of the locker room, they were greeted by a life-sized "dog pen," with two large statues of live bulldog mascot "Swagger" leading the way. The team waited inside the "pound" before the gates opened and they were "unleashed" onto the field, with smoke blasting into the sky.
From there, the leaders of the defense were introduced one-by-one to cheers from the fans, with defensive end Myles Garrett going last and getting the loudest ovation of all. This is also an homage to the original Dawg Pound, as the great defense of the 1980s was nicknamed the "Dawgs" due to the amazing play and "barking" of men like Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield.
As we know, the Browns have had many unique identities over the years. Besides the immortal Dawg Pound, "Brownie the Elf" also made his return Sunday after being painted on the 50-yard line.