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.
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