BEREA, Ohio –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, November 15, when they host the Houston Texans 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 with a series of events.
On Tuesday, November 3, the Cleveland Browns, Browns Give Back, LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, and RB Raheim Sanders and Browns Alumni Garrett Gilkey, Ben Davis, Frank Stams, Greg Pruitt and David Mays all visited the Louis Stokes Cleveland MA Medical Center – CARES Tower. There, veterans receiving treatment were able to spend time with the Browns in attendance by sharing their stories, taking photos and receiving recognition for their service and sacrifice.
Military families, in partnership with NEOPAT, were invited to Huntington Bank Field on November 10 to enjoy professional family photos, food and time together as a way to thank them for their service and sacrifice. Browns LB Winston Reid and Browns Alumni Hanford Dixon, Greg Pruitt, Ben Davis, Reggie Langhorne, Garrett Gilkey and David Mays were also at the event to show their gratitude for the families and military members in attendance.
On game day, fans can join the celebration at Dawg Pound Drive where active-duty Military and Veterans are invited to visit the Dawg House by NJM Insurance and receive an exclusive Browns and NJM knitted scarf when they present their military ID to any brand ambassador on-site. Browns Alumnus, Felix Wright, will be appearing from 11a.m. – 12 p.m. to take photos and sign autographs for all fans who stop by. Crown Royal will also 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, the Navy Talent Acquisition Group, Ohio River Valley, will serve as the color guard and the 8th Flying Squadron from Vance Air Force Base, flying a T-6, will perform a flyover across Huntington Bank Field. 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, performed by Sergeant First Class Temos Wooten with the 260th Special Purpose Brigade in Washington DC.
Throughout the game, members of the U.S. Army will perform push-ups in both end zones following every Browns touchdown. An in-game recognition will occur for Former Secretary of the Navy, Thomas B. Modly to honor his tenured career in the U.S. Navy.
Infantry Sergeant First Class and Readiness NCO Justin Marchand who has dedicated 23 years of service with four in Active-Duty in the Marine Corps including three deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria will be recognized in the form of an in-game retirement ceremony. He is also the recipient of a Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal, commemorating his service.
The Cleveland Browns will recognize representatives from all six branches of the U.S. military through the Hats Off to Our Heroes Honor Row, in partnership with USO. Honorees will enjoy field-level seating during the game and receive special in-game recognition following the first quarter in appreciation of their service and sacrifice.
The celebration continues during halftime with the Army vs. Navy skills challenge presented by CrossCountry Mortgage. Watch as both branches go head-to-head for a grand prize donation to their respective foundations courtesy of CrossCountry Mortgage: Fisher House Foundation (Army) and USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation (Navy).
While the Browns' commitment to Salute to Service extends across the entire organization, Assistant Team Physician Dr. Benjamin Boswell has been selected as the club's 2026 NFL Salute to Service Award Nominee. Dr. Boswell also practices at Official Healthcare Provider for the Cleveland Browns, University Hospitals, as a Primary Care Sports Medicine and Emergency Medicine Physician, while continuing his service to our country as an Army Reserve Officer, deploying to the Middle East three times as an asset to Operation Epic Fury, Operation Sledgehammer and Operation Inherent Resolve.
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 LXI. To learn more about each nominee and cast your vote for Dr. Boswell, 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 and follow @BrownsGiveBack.
About CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC:
CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) is the nation's largest distributed retail mortgage lender and sixth-largest non-bank servicer, with more than 10,000 employees operating over 1,100 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 numerous awards for its standout culture. We offer more than 120 mortgage, refinance and home equity solutions — ranging from conventional and jumbo mortgages to government-insured programs from the FHA and programs for Veterans and rural homebuyers — and we are a direct lender and approved seller and servicer for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and Ginnie Mae. NMLS #3029. Through our dedication to getting it done, we make every mortgage feel like a win.
