'The Packers Have a Museum': Pat McAfee Gets Real About Cleveland Browns’ $2.4 Billion Stadium Update

After more than 25 years of football, the Cleveland Browns are preparing to move on from Huntington Bank Field in favor of a brand new, fully enclosed stadium. Thanks in part to a $600-million gesture from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on behalf of the taxpayers, the Browns will officially be the first AFC North team to sport a domed facility worth $2.4 Billion.

Being touted as a “state-of-the-art” facility, the grounds will feature everything from the stadium itself to various commercial and real estate properties. According to Pat McAfee, it’s the latest attempt by team owners to fully capitalize on every source of revenue that revolves around tourism and the NFL.

Much like the Green Bay Packers or even the Chicago Bears, now more so than ever before, teams are trying to transform their local stomping grounds into a unique experience.

“In Green Bay, the Packers have a museum, and a Hall of Fame, and some other sh*t that you can come visit and make a trip out of it. If Cleveland does that, which we assume they will, with stores, hotels, everything else, then it’s like you can make your Cleveland Browns football team your actual get away as well. Which is what all of these teams are trying to do,” McAfee explained.

Given that the AFC North has a longstanding culture involving gritty football play in the wintertime, McAfee’s co-host and former Carolina Panther, Darius Butler, suggested that seeing the Browns play inside of a dome is going feel “very, very weird.”

Then again, given their recent track record, mixing things up could be a wise move for the Browns.

“The sh*t that they’ve been doing hasn’t been working, so let’s do it completely different. I know there are some people who just love football indoors, in a controlled climate. I’m a fan of outdoor weather, the elements, especially when you’re playing in a division like the Browns are… But anytime you build a new facility you’re going to bring new people in and boost the economy… This is big for Cleveland,” Butler added during the show.

At the very least, a new stadium should manage to bring more major events to the area. No retractable roof or dome often restricted the availability of Huntington Bank Field, especially during periods of inclement weather.

Nevertheless, the former Green Bay Packer, A.J. Hawk, thinks that some fans will have a hard time with letting go of the competitive edge that came with the cold. “Real fans definitely hate the dome,” Hawk suggested. “Oh, if Pittsburgh were to put a dome on, they’d be very pissed,” McAfee agreed.

For better or worse, the Browns may have played their final snow game. While that may be a bummer for football enthusiasts, the local economy is grinning ear to ear right now.