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Shirtless Tony Brown walks around with wooden sickle before Browns-Panthers preseason game

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs08/09/25grant_grubbs_
Tony Brown walks with staff ahead of game
© Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Browns cornerback Tony Brown introduced a new pregame accessory ahead of Cleveland’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Friday. Brown turned heads when he walked onto the field barefoot while holding what appeared to be a staff with a curved spike jutting out of the end.

Brown didn’t reveal the significance of the odd instrument, but carried on as usual ahead of the Browns’ preseason opener. It’s not the first time that Brown’s antics have raised eyebrows. In fact, his shirtless warmups and always-entertaining postgame interviews have earned him the nickname, “Crazy Tony.”

Brown signed with Cleveland last March. He made six appearances for the Browns last season, tallying five tackles and a forced fumble. To check out Tony Brown’s odd entrance on the field Friday, look below.

Brown developed his wild reputation far before stepping on an NFL field. Brown was suspended for the first four games of his junior season at Alabama for an undisclosed violation. At the time, head coach Nick Saban addressed Brown’s behavior.

“Right now, Tony has to work on developing trust in his teammates and the coaches,” Saban said. “He certainly has the ability to play. He’s been an outstanding special teams player for us so I think that’s the first thing you’ll see.”

Stories about Brown’s behavior only grew after he appeared to hit an Auburn fan following Alabama’s loss to the Tigers in the 2016 Iron Bowl. Punishments have also been leveled on Brown at the professional level.

In the 2023 campaign, when Brown was on the Indianapolis Colts, he was suspended for the final three games of the regular season for “conduct detrimental to the team.” The exact nature of this conduct was never publicly revealed, but he was waived by the Colts after the season.

LeBron James congratulates Browns QB Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders made a statement in the first half of his NFL preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers on Friday. NBA superstar LeBron James noticed Sanders’ success and congratulated the former Colorado standout.

“That young [king emoji] looking good out there!” James wrote on X. “@ShedeurSanders Keep going UP!!! HEAD down on the grind and HEAD high to the most high.”

“And I don’t wanna hear that ‘It’s only preseason’ bs,” James added in a follow-up post. “Cause if he was out there not going in y’all would be on his ass about it! So give credit and grace lames.”

Sanders completed 11-of-his-18 pass attempts for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, without throwing an interception. Sanders started for the Browns despite having not received many, if any, first-team reps during the team’s training camp.