Cleveland Browns assistant general manager Catherine Hickman is catching heat after a public appearance that fans say sent exactly the wrong message.
Hickman, who serves as Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Football Operations, showed up at a high-profile press conference ahead of the 2026 season opener wearing a distressed, ripped gray sweatshirt that read “Los Angeles Made Me Do It.” The reaction was immediate and ugly, with critics blasting the look as unprofessional for someone in her position.
“Why is she wearing that?” one person asked.
“This woman wants to be taken seriously as a professional in the front office of a NFL team and wears a forever 21 sweat shirt. I hate my football team so much,” a second fan added.
“Trash organization. What is she wearing?
Very unprofessional for such a high-profile job. They can’t produce wins, and they don’t care about the fans or city at all 🤡 🖕,” a third person wrote.
“Not sure if that’s a wise sweatshirt!” a final person said of Catherine Hickman.
The backlash comes on the heels of a major roster shakeup. On June 1, 2026, the Browns completed a blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. In return, Cleveland received two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick.
The Browns had reportedly not planned to move their franchise cornerstone at first, but the Rams stayed aggressive in their pursuit. The negotiations reportedly shifted when Cleveland pushed for Jared Verse to be part of the deal, and the Rams eventually agreed.
Hickman also drew criticism for how she handled questions about quarterback trade rumors. When asked directly about potential offers, she said, “Not that I will comment on,” before passing the question along to General Manager Andrew Berry.
For a fan base already frustrated by the Myles Garrett trade, the sweatshirt and the evasive answers only added to the sense that the front office is out of touch. With Deshaun Watson being named QB after calling out the fan base, the atmosphere in Cleveland is as sour as it gets.
In Other News...
Browns May Have Cut A Preseason Standout Too Soon
The Browns trimmed down to their final 53-man roster on Sept. 1, and one of the more notable names to come off the list was wide receiver Luke Floriea. After a productive preseason, Floriea quickly drew outside attention, landing a workout invitation from the Seattle Seahawks as teams around the league continue sorting out their receiver depth.
Seattles timing is worth watching after recently losing Cody White, leaving the door open for another body in the room or a practice squad addition. For Cleveland, it is another reminder that preseason flashes can travel fast once roster cutdowns arrive, and Florieas next step may say as much about the Browns evaluation as it does about his own case for sticking in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Just Sparked A Roster Debate Fans Wont Let Go
The Browns filled out their initial 16-player practice squad after waiver day, and the first look brought a few familiar names back into the fold. Several players who had been viewed as useful depth pieces, or at least easy to root for during camp, cleared waivers and stuck around in Cleveland, giving the team some continuity as it sorts through the bottom of the roster.
But the moves also left out a handful of players many fans expected to see kept close, including Luke Floriea, Gage Larvadain, Ahmani Marshall, Chris Edmonds and Kingsley Eguakun. For a roster that is still being shaped, those omissions are the kind that linger, because they hint at how the Browns are weighing upside, familiarity and immediate depth while leaving a few camp storylines unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Quarterback Calm May Not Last Very Long
The Browns entered the season with a familiar sort of quarterback traffic jam, and it only grew more complicated when Dillon Gabriel was placed on injured reserve with a back injury. The move means he will miss at least the first four games of the 2026 season, leaving Cleveland with Deshaun Watson still in the starting role and Shedeur Sanders and Taylen Green behind him on the depth chart.
For now, the Browns are carrying four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, which gives the position more insulation than most teams would want but also keeps the situation from feeling settled. Gabriel is expected to return after Week 4 if he is healthy, and once he is eligible to come back, Clevelands quarterback picture could shift again quickly. [Read more 🡒]