CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Browns will honor those who have served and continue to serve our country during the team's annual Salute to Service game, presented by CrossCountry Mortgage, on Sunday, Nov. 16, when they host the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. As part of the NFL's Salute to Service initiative, the Browns will transform gameday into a stage of gratitude, to show the Browns' year-round commitment to celebrating service members, veterans and their families.
This November, the Browns highlighted the organization's ongoing recognition of service members and veterans. Earlier this month, on Nov. 4, the Browns and United Airlines hosted four veterans for a behind-the-scenes tour of CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. At the end of the visit, United Airlines, joined by DE Cameron Thomas and RB Quinshon Judkins, surprised the group with a VIP trip to Chicago to attend the Browns at Bears game Dec. 14, complete with airfare, hotel accommodation and game tickets.
On Nov. 10, CrossCountry Mortgage partnered with Browns Give Back (BGB) and the Stay in the Game! (SITG!) Attendance Network to surprise Cheryl Greene, a veteran educator at Lincoln-West School of Science and Health, with a trip to the 2026 Super Bowl to celebrate her 32 years of service. During the event, more than 60 Junior ROTC students assembled care kits filled with essential items for deployed service members, honoring those currently serving while recognizing the contributions of veterans throughout Northeast Ohio.
With the support of Verizon and Meijer, the Browns have extended their Salute to Service efforts throughout the whole season. Verizon will eliminate $10,000 of medical debt for Northeast Ohio veterans for every Browns first down at a home game. Meijer's Field Goals for Good program donates $500 for each field goal and $250 for every extra point to Volunteers of America Ohio and Indiana's Veterans Resource Center, a program that has already raised $9,500 this season.
On game day, fans can join the celebration at Dawg Pound Drive, where Verizon will host a "Letters of Gratitude" station inviting fans to write notes to thank veterans for their service. Former Browns RB Kevin Mack will make a special appearance from 2:30-3:30 p.m. to meet fans. Crown Royal will be hosting the Purple Bag Project, which transforms the brand's iconic purple bags into care packages for soldiers and veterans, reminding them of our appreciation.
During pregame ceremonies, color guards representing the Army, Navy, and Marines will present the colors. Veterans and their families invited by CrossCountry Mortgage, along with Browns Guest Services and season ticket members, will join to hold the full-field flag during the national anthem. The coin toss captain will be Gunner's Mate Chief Beth Fawcett from USS Cleveland. U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jon Lund, a 17-year active-duty service member and Browns season ticket holder, will be promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 3 during a special on-field ceremony.
Throughout the game, members of the U.S. Army will perform push-ups in both end zones following every Browns touchdown. In an in-game recognition, Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Paris D. Davis will be celebrated for his 26 years of service to the nation. The game will feature fan-powered light shows starting with a halftime performance from Cleveland-natives Welshly Arms followed by a third quarter performance from Max Stak.
While the Browns' commitment to Salute to Service extends across the entire organization, guard Wyatt Teller exemplifies that dedication on a personal level. The Browns nominated Teller for the NFL's 2025 Salute to Service Award because of his endless support for those who serve. Inspired by his father, who served as a reserve in both the Marines and the U.S. Army, Teller continues to strengthen connections within the Northern Ohio military community through his involvement with Folds of Honor, USO, and the Green Beret Foundation, which provides ongoing assistance to U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers and their families.
Once more this season, fans have an opportunity to determine the award's three finalists by voting for their favorite nominee. One vote per day for each nominee is permitted. The three finalists will be announced in January, and the recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors; a primetime awards special to air nationally during the week of Super Bowl LX. To learn more about each nominee and cast your vote for Wyatt, visit NFL.com/SaluteFanVote -- voting is open now until November 30.
The Browns' annual Salute to Service game serves as a reminder that honoring the nation's heroes extends beyond the field. Through year-round community engagement, the organization remains dedicated to supporting service members, veterans, and their families every day.
About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:
The Cleveland Browns focus on advancing education, youth football and equitable opportunities across Northeast Ohio and beyond. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback.
About NFL and Salute to Service:
Salute to Service represents the NFL's unwavering dedication to honoring, empowering, and connecting with our nation's service members, veterans, and their families. It is grounded in deep partnerships with the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF), Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United Service Organizations (USO) and Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). Since 2011, more than $66 million has been raised for these Salute to Service partners. The NFL extends its appreciation of the military community through special moments of recognition at games and events, as well as visits to military bases both domestically and internationally throughout the year.
About SITG! Attendance Network:
Launched in 2019 by the Cleveland Browns Foundation, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Harvard's Proving Ground, the SITG! Attendance Network, now managed by Battelle, works together to reduce chronic absenteeism by bringing together experts, partners, and communities. SITG! Attendance Network partners with the Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati to support attendance efforts throughout the state of Ohio. Together, Stay in the Game! partners with 237 districts and impacts more than 609,000 students throughout. For more information, visit https://stayinthegame.org/
About CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC:
CrossCountry Mortgage is the nation's number one distributed retail mortgage lender with more than 7,000 employees operating over 700 branches and servicing loans across all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Our company has been recognized ten times on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private businesses and has received many awards for our standout culture. We offer more than 120 mortgage, refinance and home equity solutions – ranging from conventional and jumbo mortgages to government-insured programs from FHA and programs for Veterans and rural homebuyers – and we are a direct lender and approved seller and servicer by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and Ginnie Mae. Through our dedication to getting it done, we make every mortgage feel like a win. Visit CrossCountry Mortgage.com.
About United Airlines:
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
About Verizon:
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world's leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $136.8 billion in 2023. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers' demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.
About Meijer:
Meijer is a privately owned, family-operated retailer that serves customers at more than 500 supercenters, grocery stores, neighborhood markets, and express locations throughout the Midwest. As the pioneer of the one-stop shopping concept, more than 70,000 Meijer team members work hard to deliver a friendly, seamless in-store and online shopping experience featuring an assortment of fresh foods, high-quality apparel, household essentials, and health and wellness products and services. Meijer is consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work and annually donates at least 6 percent of its profit to strengthen its communities. Additional information on the company can be found by visiting newsroom.meijer.com.
