Browns continue fight against cancer with annual “Crucial Catch” game against Miami Dolphins Oct. 19 (10.17.25)
For Immediate Release
Oct. 17, 2025
Browns continue fight against cancer with annual “Crucial Catch” game against Miami Dolphins Oct. 19
Browns join NFL and American Cancer Society to promote screening and early detection for all forms of cancer
BEREA, Ohio – The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that in 2025 alone, Ohio saw approximately 77,010 new cancer diagnoses and 24,440 cancer-related deaths. Since 2009, the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative has served as a league-wide effort to encourage early detection and promote risk-reduction strategies across multiple types of cancer.
Recognizing the importance of cancer awareness, the Cleveland Browns are proud to once again partner with the National Football League (NFL) and ACS for the Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer campaign. The Browns Crucial Catch game will be presented by University Hospitals (UH) Seidman Cancer Center, highlighting the initiative on Sunday, Oct. 19, when they host the Miami Dolphins at Huntington Bank Field.
Cancer has personally touched many members of the Browns family. T Dawand Jones lost his cousin to breast cancer in 2023, and TE Harold Fannin Jr. lost his sister to a battle with cancer. TE David Njoku’s grandmother battled pancreatic cancer. LB Winston Reid’s mother passed away from breast cancer.
Crucial Catch will be highlighted throughout the whole month of October. On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Browns players C Luke Wypler, DE Isaiah McGuire, and recently retired WR David Bell visited University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s (UH Rainbow), connecting with patients, families, caregivers, and staff. The team’s community efforts will continue Tuesday, Oct. 21, with the fourth annual Browns Halloween Fashion Show, hosted at Huntington Bank Field. Children from The Littlest Heroes and UH Rainbow along with players, will walk the runway together to show off their Halloween costumes for families in attendance. This year, players, staff, and fans will also wear custom Cleveland Browns-branded shoelaces designed to reflect the seven colors of the Crucial Catch ribbon, each representing a different form of cancer. These laces serve as personal tributes to loved ones affected by the disease and will be worn throughout the month.
On game day, Dawg Pound Drive will feature representatives from UH Seidman Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society, who will share information about cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection. Zeta Tau Alpha alumnae and collegiate members will also return for their 23rd consecutive year to distribute Think Pink ribbons in support of breast cancer awareness. Fans who have been or have loved ones impacted by cancer can share their support by picking up an “In Honor Of” poster at the UH tent on Dawg Pound Drive or Guest Services inside the stadium to write the name of someone impacted by cancer.
Prior to kickoff, the Browns will honor ACS Survivors and Thrivers, top fundraisers, and caregivers and guests from Hope Lodge. The Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Performing Arts will perform the national anthem, while the Newark JROTC will serve as the game’s Color Guard. UH Rainbow pediatric patient Marcus Weaver will serve as the game’s Flag Kid, and Ellie Hirokawa and Jaxon Mihelic will be the first and second half Kickoff Kids. Colorectal cancer survivor Venoy Rogers will serve as the Coin Toss Captain, and UH Rainbow pediatric patient Aiden Wreh will participate in the Take it to the Dawg House ceremony. At halftime, the fan-favorite Milk-Bone Dawg Dash will return, featuring 12 dogs racing across the field in a competition.
As part of the University Hospitals Survivorship Program, Mary Jo Mazzarella will take part in the second annual pregame Bell Ringing Ceremony, a hospital tradition signifying the end of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Mary Jo was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and initially told her condition was incurable. After seeking a second opinion from Alberto Montero, MD, at UH, she underwent chemotherapy and immunotherapy and is now in remission. Melinda Hsu, MD, a thoracic medical oncologist and leader of UH’s survivorship efforts, will also be recognized during the first quarter.
The Browns’ Crucial Catch efforts display the team’s ongoing commitment to supporting patients, families, and caregivers in the fight against cancer. Together with University Hospitals and the American Cancer Society, the Browns continue to raise awareness, celebrate survivorship, and honor the resilience of those impacted by cancer, on and off the field.
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About the NFL and Crucial Catch
Crucial Catch is the NFL’s cancer awareness and early detection initiative, in partnership with the American Cancer Society (ACS). Over the years, the NFL has helped ACS fund more than $27 million dollars through sales of Crucial Catch branded merchandise, NFL Auction, and general fundraising.
Funds raised support the American Cancer Society’s CHANGE Grants, which increase access to low or no cost cancer screenings in communities that need it most. CHANGE Grants have contributed to more than 650k cancer screenings in under-resourced communities and have impacted more than 1.3 million men & women with education, patient navigation, and screening reminders.
Crucial Catch empowers fans to take their health into their own hands by getting screened for cancer and educates fans about the importance of early detection and risk reduction. The initiative also creates opportunities to showcase the NFL family’s year-round commitment to create positive impact in the fight against cancer as it addresses disparities in underserved communities and tells impactful stories that connect fans with Clubs and players in meaningful ways.
About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:
The Cleveland Browns are committed to championing education and youth football, while also creating equitable opportunities for advancement in our community and throughout Ohio. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback.
About American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio:
Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 21 hospitals (including five joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Oxford University, the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and National Taiwan University College of Medicine. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Ohio’s only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.
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