Jason and Travis Kelce are not holding back when it comes to the Cleveland Browns‘ latest controversial decision.
The NFL superstar brothers, born and raised in Cleveland Heights, have publicly voiced their frustration over the team’s plan to move its home stadium from downtown Cleveland to a new suburban site in Brook Park.
The $2.4 billion stadium, currently under construction and slated for completion in 2029, will sit roughly 14 miles from its current location. For fans who’ve grown up with the tradition of watching games in the heart of the city – like the Kelces – the move feels like a betrayal.
Kelce brothers rip Browns’ new stadium plan
In a fiery segment from their New Heights podcast, Jason Kelce didn’t mince words when addressing the relocation video shared by the Browns‘ official account.
“Something really stupid out in Brook Park that they’re trying to get everybody excited about. The stadium [will] no longer be in downtown Cleveland. Boooooo,” Jason said with a mix of sarcasm and frustration.
His younger brother, Travis Kelce, echoed the sentiment, pointing out what many fans have long believed about sports culture: “Every sports town feels better when [the stadium] is in downtown.”
Jason agreed and elaborated further. “It’s way better; they just don’t want to pay for it, Travis, or they don’t want to cooperate with the city. That’s the only reason this is not in downtown Cleveland… Yeah, I’m not a fan. I don’t know what you want me to say. I don’t like it.”
The criticism wasn’t just about geography. Jason also took aim at the design choices, particularly the decision to build a domed stadium, something he says strips away the essence of football.
“I like when the elements play a role in the game. I like it when snow is involved,” he said, referencing this year’s playoff clash at Lincoln Financial Field. “We had an awesome playoff game here at The Linc this year in the snow against the Rams. That wouldn’t have happened with an indoor stadium. I don’t like indoor stadiums.”
He concluded with perhaps his harshest take yet: “There’s zero percent that I like about what’s happening in Cleveland right now.”
Despite the disappointment, Jason did acknowledge that opinions among Cleveland residents might differ. While many are excited about the new stadium’s amenities and potential for economic development, the Kelce brothers are clearly more concerned with preserving the city’s historic sports culture and maintaining its connection to the team.
With the Browns finishing a dismal 3-14 season in 2024, fan frustrations have already been running high. Now, with a stadium move that threatens to dilute the game-day atmosphere, even Cleveland’s most famous football family is sounding the alarm.
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