Richmond Heights High School hasn't had the opportunity to host a home football game in almost a decade.

Now, the school will have that chance.

As representatives from the Richmond Heights Local School District, ForeverLawn, Ohio Cat and members of the Browns' 2026 rookie class stood on the field at Richmond Heights High School, they each grabbed a shovel and a hard hat. Together, they each dug into the soil, officially breaking ground on the site of a new synthetic turf field and marking the beginning of the 18^th field project that the Browns have installed in Northeast Ohio.

As part of the Browns' commitment to education as well as youth and high school football, the organization is installing a ForeverLawn high-quality synthetic turf field in association with Ohio Cat at Richmond Heights High School in the spring of 2026.

"(The turf field) is far more than an investment in facilities, it is an investment in opportunity, growth and the future of young people here in Richmond Heights," Director of Athletics for Richmond Heights Local Schools Timothy King said. "(This) partnership demonstrates what can happen when organizations choose to pour back into the communities they serve. As someone who works in this district every day and calls this community home, I understand the importance of creating space and opportunities that inspire excellence, pride and unity. This moment reflects what can happen when a community comes together with a common purpose and a shared vision in the future."

To celebrate the moment and highlight the Browns' commitment to youth and high school football, the entire 2026 rookie class was in attendance. Not long ago, those rookies were in the same position as the high school athletes, so they understand firsthand the impact that opportunities like this—and communities investing in their student-athletes—can have.

T Spencer Fano and WR KC Concepcion each shared a message with the students and those in attendance, encouraging them to work hard, take full advantage of the opportunities in front of them, and make the most of the support surrounding them. They also reinforced that the best way to say "thank you" for the new field is by showing up on Friday nights and bringing wins back to Richmond Heights.

The Browns, courtesy of the Haslam and Johnson families as well as Browns Give Back, first began their long-term field initiative in May 2016 by installing five field surfaces at Cleveland Metropolitan School District schools over a two-year span. Over the last 10 years, that number has steadily grown as they work to bring new fields to schools and communities across Northeast Ohio.

"We know that for many years Richmond Heights hasn't been able to host a home football game, which is really an experience that every high school student should be able to have, either as an athlete or as a spectator on the sidelines," Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel for HSG Ted Tywang said. "You know these state of the art synthetic fields that we will be breaking ground on today, and are so excited to bring to the Richmond Heights community, it ensures safe, consistent playing conditions across all seasons and serves a purpose not only for the athletes who are going to play, but also for local rec programs, youth leagues and families. And we really think the community - we've seen it in other neighborhoods where we brought these field projects – the communities really embrace these projects, and they have an impact much broader than just the schools."

A primary focus of the Browns' field projects is to offer youth educational tools through "outdoor classrooms," which offer opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities that support attendance, school engagement and overall personal growth.

The field opens up opportunities for tackle and flag athletes, as well as other sports – such as track and field – to have practices and utilize the space. It will also help build the pipeline for youth programs, such as their flag football and tackle teams, in the school district knowing that they have a reliable space to use throughout their school-age years. Dr. Marnisha Brown, Superintendent of Richmond Heights Local Schools, has played an integral part in creating those opportunities for students across the district, advocating for the support and growth of students throughout Richmond Heights schools.

Richmond Heights School District has been a part of The Stay in the Game! Attendance Network for two years, working to decrease chronic absenteeism across the district. The Network partners with over 235 districts and impacts more than 610,000 students throughout Ohio. Student engagement is a driver of student attendance, and through the installation of the new turf field at Richmond Heights High School, the district aims to create engagement opportunities to help students get excited to attend school every day.

Richmond Heights is also one of the 160 schools participating in the Browns' division of girls high school flag football. They first joined the league in 2025 and competed in the Eastern Conference – Brown Division for the past two seasons.

"When people think about a football field, they usually think about the games and the touchdowns, but for students like us, this field represents possibility," Karlin Graham said. "As a girl playing flag football, it is exciting to know that younger girls in Richmond Heights get to grow up knowing that there's a place for them here too, a place where they can compete, lead and be a part of something bigger than themselves. We are a small school with a big heart, so when something good happens here, it affects everybody. This field is going to bring people together, give us new memories, new traditions and new opportunities and energy."

All of the new fields created through the program are lined for multiple sports, including but not limited to football and soccer, and serve as a resource to further engage athletes and students in their respective districts and programs. Given the stability of the surface and less maintenance needed compared to natural grass, the fields are also more readily available year-round to youth and community groups.

"We're a small community, but when you come together to see those students there play on this field, everybody come together to communicate and that molds a community," Council President Bobby Jordan said. "Our mayor is working hard to put our community together, but having this right here, this is what we were missing. This is what we are missing. It's not all about those students there, it's about those students over there in the kindergarten, it's about the students who graduated. Everybody will come here on Friday nights to see these games, to see what's happening here."

Learn more about the Browns field projects program by visiting https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/community/youth-football/field-projects.