Cleveland Browns announces Charles Woodson as limited partner to team's ownership group

The Cleveland Browns have announced that Hall of Fame defensive back Charles Woodson has joined the franchise’s ownership group. He will be a limited partner in the ownership group.

Woodson is a native of Fremont, Ohio, who had his non-controlling minority interests approved at the National Football League Spring Meetings today. It is, notably, the first time that Cleveland has added a minority owner since the Haslam family took over the organization in 2012.

“Charles has left an incredible legacy on the field, forever engraving himself as one of the greatest collegiate and NFL players of all time, but the work he’s continued to do off the field and his entrepreneurial spirit emphasized what a great fit he is for our organization,” Cleveland Browns Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “As he is an Ohio native, we’re so thrilled to have Charles on board as a limited partner of the Cleveland Browns because he knows how much football means to this community. We know he will be instrumental in helping shape the future of the club through his insight and leadership and we are looking forward to having him as part of our ownership group.”

Charles Woodson would play his college football for the Michigan Wolverines, winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming an All-American. It wasn’t surprise when he was a first round pick of the Oakland Raiders. Between stops with the Raiders and Green Bay Packers, he’d become a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, four-time First-Team All-Pro selection, led the NFL in interceptions twice, and won a Super Bowl. Now, he’s a part-owner.

“Growing up in Fremont, Ohio, it was a dream come true to play in the National Football League. In my wildest childhood dreams, I never considered the opportunity to become a limited partner of an NFL team, let alone the Cleveland Browns in my home state of Ohio. It is among my greatest honors to join the Haslam and Johnson families and the entire Haslam Sports Group to become a limited partner of the Cleveland Browns, one of the NFL’s most storied franchises,” Woodson said.

“Over the last year, I’ve enjoyed getting to know the leadership team at the Browns and I’m excited about the opportunity to be a part of the bright future for this team and to help be a resource for the entire organization as well as the NFL. I want to thank Dee and Jimmy Haslam for providing me this amazing opportunity and Derrick Heggans for presenting this rare opportunity to me and facilitating the process.”

Since moving on from the NFL in 2015, Charles Woodson has remained involved. That has included working as an analyst for Fox and coaching at the high school level. Charitably, the Woodson Fund and the Event on Main have raised approximately $6.5 million for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.