The Cleveland Browns have mostly been the laughing stock of football for the better part of the last three decades, thanks both to a lengthy track record of poor play on the field and a laundry list of incredibly embarrassing moments off of it.
On Wednesday, during the team’s public reveal of their new alternate helmet, Browns fans were presented with another embarrassing moment that sums up exactly where the organization is at this point.
As part of a stunt to introduce their first-ever brown helmet for an alternate uniform look this season, the team set up a giant helmet on a raft in Lake Erie that appeared to be attached to a dock. They covered the oversized replica with a tarp before debuting it to the public.
Unfortunately, as soon as the tarp was pulled off of the replica helmet, someone who appeared to be a team videographer got too close to the edge of the platform and fell into the lake. This prompted Browns mascot Chomps to throw a life reservoir into the water while the Dude Wipes mascot looked on.
Thankfully, someone on a jet ski was nearby to grab the person and bring them back to safety, though not before they gave the mascots a thumbs up.
The entire metaphorical moment was captured by WKYC+, a local NBC affiliate in Cleveland, which broadcast the helmet unveiling on its YouTube channel.
Much to the delight of Chomps and the Dude Wipes mascot, a man who fell off the dock during the Cleveland Browns’ “Alpha Dawg” helmet reveal was quickly rescued by a jet ski. pic.twitter.com/3XbcHb62BH
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 23, 2025
Here is a closer look at the videographer’s unfortunate fall into Lake Erie.
Someone fell off the raft when the Browns did the helmet reveal. I just can’t 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/V3p2OK1ZTs
— Muhammad Arshad (@arshadtx) July 23, 2025
Whether it be former Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden getting caught under the American flag before his first NFL game in 2012, or former Browns coach Hue Jackson having to jump into Lake Erie after promising his team wouldn’t replicate their 1-15 record in 2016 the following season, only to then go 0-16, the Browns organization have had no shortage of embarrassing off-field moments. You can add this one to the list.
“The most Cleveland Browns clip of all time,” wrote Tate Moore, better known as Barstool Tate of Barstool Sports. “As they take the tarp off to reveal the new Browns helmet, a photographer falls off the raft into the lake.”
The most Cleveland Browns clip of all time.
As they take the tarp off to reveal the new brown helmet, a photographer falls off the raft into the lake. pic.twitter.com/Q9qrf2eqz2
— Ohio’s Tate (@BarstoolTate) July 23, 2025
“The Browns are the only team who could have someone almost drown while reviewing a new helmet color,” wrote Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. “Only in Cleveland.”
The Browns are the only team who could have someone almost drown while reviewing a new helmet color. Only in Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/a8zRmXwOjj
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) July 23, 2025
“God Bless you Browns fans,” wrote Joe Bryant of the Football Guys. “Person falls off the raft during the helmet reveal. And the mascot casually tossing out the life preserver…”
God Bless you Browns fans.
Person falls off the raft during the helmet reveal.
And the mascot casually tossing out the life preserver…😂#RandomShots
— Joe Bryant (@Football_Guys) July 23, 2025
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.