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CHARDON, Ohio -- The Geauga County Sheriff on Tuesday barred any of his deputies from working off-duty security at future Cleveland Browns games because of their protest during the national anthem. Sheriff Scott A. Hildenbrand in a memo to his employees posted on Facebook said the Browns protest, which came in response to President Donald Trump's statements that NFL players who kneel during the national anthem should be fired, was "disrespectful" to veterans and police officers alike. "I'm concerned when the main act stands in front of the crowd, before the game even starts, and commits a blatant disrespectful act...

Apparently when you insult Cleveland cops and paramedics, and the symbols they revere, they’re not the types to say “Thank you, sir, may I have another?” So after a dozen Cleveland Browns players refused to stand for the National Anthem in a preseason game, Cleveland’s finest won’t be holding a huge Old Glory on the field at the Browns’ home opener, as they’d previously agreed to. Those Browns players, in an apparent effort to take the “lovable” out of “lovable losers,” (1 – 15 last season!) were emulating the currently unemployed Colin Kaepernick – he of the pig policeman socks...

Colin Kaepernick is toxic by his own doing. He's no longer the threat he was in the first couple years of his career because the NFL did what the NFL always does: the teams adapt and what defines the true superstar is the continued greatness despite the perpetual adaptations. As fare as the Cleveland Browns go, they're still a punchline. Eleven players took to their social justice knees during their last preseason game. What's ironic is that the only consistency they've had over the last three years is finishing last in their division with a total of 11 wins.

Several Cleveland Browns players made the decision to kneel during the national anthem. Twelve players from the organization kneeled and prayed during the anthem Monday night against the New York Giants, according to ESPN. Safety Jabrill Peppers told the media, “There’s a lot of racial and social injustices in the world that are going on right now. We just decided to take a knee and pray for the people who have been affected and just pray for the world in general.” Protesting is the hottest thing in the streets these days, but perhaps the Browns players should spend a shade more...

CLEVELAND (CBSNewYork) — An NFL player is apologizing for posting a graphic image on Instagram showing a man dressed in all black slitting the throat of a police officer. Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell, 23, deleted the image he posted on Instagram showing blood gushing out of the officer’s neck.

I'm a Cleveland boy and die-hard Browns fan - this is sick. He's gotta go...

(AP)A grand jury has reportedly decided to indict Johnny Manziel on a misdemeanor assault charge stemming back to an incident between the former Cleveland Browns quarterback and his ex-girlfriend. KRLD-AM, a CBS radio affiliate in Dallas, reported the news, citing sources in the Dallas County District Attorney's office. The grand jury reviewed the case last week. Manziel has had a controversial and rough offseason. He was cut by the Browns, dropped by two agents, has gotten virtually no interest from any NFL teams, and now has been indicted. On Jan. 30, Manziel and his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley had an altercation....

The Cleveland Browns are trading the No. 2 pick in this year's NFL draft to the Philadelphia Eagles for five selections over the next two years. The Browns get the 2016 first-round pick (No. 8 overall), the Eagles' third-round and fourth-round picks in 2016. They also get the Eagles' 2017 first-round pick and the Eagles' 2018 second-rounder.

The Cleveland Browns have signed quarterback Robert Griffin III, the team announced Thursday. Griffin’s contract is for two years and $15 million, and can be worth up to $22 million including incentives, reports USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.

Cleveland — Johnny Manziel’s weekend itinerary remains a mystery. The Browns were not commenting on a report that their polarizing quarterback, who sustained a concussion last week in Kansas City, went to Las Vegas on Saturday as his teammates got ready for their season finale. Manziel was not going to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers because he was in the N.F.L.’s protocol on head injuries. Manziel was hurt while rushing for 108 yards in a loss to the Chiefs. USA Today quoted an employee and patron who said they saw Manziel at Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood on Saturday. The...

immediately after the regular season ends. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has already made the decision to fire coach Mike Pettine, multiple sources say, and it is likely general manager Ray Farmer will be shown the door, as well. Pettine leaves after just two seasons full of quarterback movement and a woeful defense. Farmer likely will leave despite never hiring his own head coach. Haslam has already laid the groundwork for the move, doing work on potential candidates and seeing who will be available to him. It ends a tumultuous tenure for Cleveland, filled with dysfunction, in-fighting, failed player acquisitions and...

Johnny Manziel lost his starting spot after cameras caught the quarterback partying during his bye week. Browns coach Mike Pettine called the behavior, which comes after an offseason trip to rehab, “disappointing” and “frustrating.” Manziel’s bye-week carousing spoils his national coming-out party previously scheduled for Monday night’s game against the banged-up Baltimore Ravens. Pettine announced on Tuesday Josh McCown will start the game at quarterback. TMZ spotted Manziel on Thursday at the RIO Rooftop & Restaurant nightclub in Austin, where he partied the evening away with friends. The Summit Rooftop Lounge, where he spent the evening boozing on champagne, served...

Ed Modzelewski was on the verge of retirement from the NFL to become a college assistant coach. But the persuasive Paul Brown convinced Modzelewski to remain with the Cleveland Browns ... Modzelewski, a fullback with the Browns, died last Friday of congestive heart failure at his home in Sedona, Ariz. He was 86 ... He retired following the 1959 season. Modzelewski went into the restaurant business with his brother Dick ... Dick played two seasons with the Browns (1964-66) ...

The head of the Cleveland Police Union is demanding an apology after Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins wore a shirt before Sunday's game that read, "Justice for Tamir Rice - John Crawford." Rice, a 12-year-old boy, died last month after he was shot by a Cleveland police officer who reportedly mistook his air gun for a real firearm. Crawford was shot and killed by police in August while holding an air rifle in a Wal-Mart.

DETROIT -- Lions running back Reggie Bush, who has been outspoken about the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, continued his outspoken nature Sunday when he wore a shirt reading "I Can't Breathe" during pregame warm-ups Sunday. Bush wrote the message -- in black ink on his blue shirt -- signifying the last words of Eric Garner, the New York man who died while being placed in a chokehold as he was being arrested. Bush wore the shirt a day after Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose wore an "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt in pregame warm-ups prior to his team's game Saturday night...

A pair of high-profile NFL rookies crossed paths Saturday night -- a meeting highlighted by Michael Sam mimicking Johnny Manziel. Sam, the first openly gay active player in NFL history, mocked Manziel's "money sign" after sacking the Heisman Trophy winner in the fourth quarter of the St. Louis Rams' preseason victory over the Cleveland Browns.

People always throw out weird stuff surrounding their death ("When I die I want blah blah blah") but you rarely see people follow through on it. Not Scott E. Entsminger, a Browns fan who died at the age of 55 on July 4. Entsminger "was an accomplished musician, loved playing the guitar and was a member of the Old Fogies Band." He was also, per his obituary in the Columbus Dispatch, a "lifelong Cleveland Browns fan and season ticket holder."

The Cleveland Browns' 34-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday carried a lot of lessons for this young team, some positive and others maddeningly predictable. The Browns' two key rookies, QB Brandon Weeden and RB Trent Richardson, showed marked improvement in their second outing, giving a much-needed boost to an offense that floundered last week against Philadelphia. But the absence of CB Joe Haden on the defense allowed the Bengals to pick on the Browns' young secondary. Combined with mental lapses, poor tackling and heavy penalties, the Browns just couldn't keep up. Here are five lessons from the Week 2...

Patricia Breslin Modell, a longtime television actress who became the wife of former NFL team owner Art Modell, died Wednesday, Oct. 12. She was 80 and had been hospitalized for around five months.

Eric Mangini was fired by the Browns after two 5-11 seasons as coach, a move that was expected. The team made the announcement just after 10 a.m. ET. Team president Mike Holmgren released a statement that read: "This decision was not easy for me, and it was one into which I put a great deal of thought. Although we have made improvements this season, my responsibility is to ensure that we establish a program that will allow this team to compete at a championship level. That will continue to be our goal in everything we do. I want to thank...