Two pillars of the Browns grounds crew are closing the book on remarkable careers, as Head Groundskeeper Chris Powell and Grounds Supervisor Scott Springer have announced their retirement.
Together, Powell and Springer spent more than five decades helping maintain the fields at Huntington Bank Field and CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, ensuring the Browns' home turf was ready not only for football games, but also concerts, soccer matches, training camp and countless other events. Their work took place largely behind the scenes, but it helped create the stage for generations of Browns players and memorable moments.
Powell spent 29 years with the Browns, including 27 seasons as head groundskeeper. He first joined the organization as assistant head groundskeeper from 1992-94 before returning as head groundskeeper when the Browns resumed play in Cleveland in 1999.
"The Browns gave me the opportunity to do what I love doing," Powell said. "The resources are there, and it's just been great.
"For me, 27 seasons with the new Browns, to be able to do what we do and still want to come in and enjoy the company, enjoy the task at hand — it's one of these things where we don't want anything to pop up, but it's the challenge that keeps us going. We're not just going out and mowing the grass every day. We approach anything that's not correct and take it as a challenge."
Between his two stints in Cleveland, Powell served as the grow-in supervisor at Arrowhead Stadium during the Chiefs' transition from artificial turf to natural grass in 1994. From 1995-97, he also worked as a turf consultant for Northwestern football and the MiLB Norwich Navigators while continuing to work part-time with the Chiefs.
When Powell returned to Cleveland in 1999, one of his first calls was to Springer.
The two had previously worked together at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, where Springer began working on the grounds crew at just 17 years old. Springer, who had worked at the stadium throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, immediately accepted Powell's offer to reunite with him.
Over the next 27 seasons, the pair became synonymous with the Browns' grounds crew, working side by side to oversee every aspect of field maintenance while developing a close friendship along the way.
"We're very, very close. I love Chris," Springer said. "We share personal stuff that's in our lives, and he's done nothing but help extend my career. He means everything to me."
Together, Powell and Springer managed field operations for Browns home games while also preparing Huntington Bank Field and CrossCountry Mortgage Campus for a wide variety of events throughout the year. Their attention to detail helped ensure every playing surface met the highest standards, regardless of the season or weather conditions.
Powell retires as the Browns' longest-tenured employee.
"It's just really cool to have a crew that you've been together with for so long," Powell said. "For over 40 years, I've been part of a team atmosphere where we have objectives and goals to reach. But I've got new ones now, so I'm going to concentrate on faith, family and health."
For Springer, the Browns provided more than a career. It's where he met his wife, who worked as a supervisor for the ushers at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, and where he celebrated one of his favorite memories — joining the team on the field after the Browns clinched a playoff berth during the 2020 season.
Springer retires as the Browns' third-longest tenured employee.
"I think they learned to trust us over the years that we'd put out the best product we possibly could," Springer said. "Our motto has always been there is no job description. Anything that needs to get done gets done. We just try to do our 1 percent to help the team win, and if everybody throws in their 1 percent, that adds up. That's what we've always tried to do, and I feel comfortable leaving it in the hands of these guys."
