A photographer fell into the water while trying to take photos during the unveiling of the Cleveland Browns’ new alternate helmet in Ohio.
Video footage from the incident shows the person tumbling and falling into the waters of Lake Erie on Wednesday, July 23 as they attempted to take photos of the giant inflatable helmet featuring the new design and colors on a barge. Storyful, citing the Browns, reported the 20-foot barge was located about 300 feet offshore from Huntington Bank Field, the team’s home stadium in Cleveland.
While the Cleveland Browns did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for more information on Thursday, July 24, the Akron Beacon Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported the person did not remain in the water long and was assisted by an officer on a jet ski.
Was the fall staged?
The NFL team has not commented on whether the incident was staged; however, the Akron Beacon Journal reported that the individual who fell into the water was influencer Ross Smith, who has nearly 25 million followers on TikTok, almost four million on Instagram and more than five million subscribers on YouTube.
Smith shared the video of his tumble in a July 23 Instagram post that had Dude Wipes as a collaborator. The disposable wipes product brand sponsored the helmets.
What does the Cleveland Browns’ new helmet look like?
The Browns revealed a new helmet on July 23 that will be worn occasionally during the 2025 season. The helmet is matte brown and features orange stripes down the centerline, but does not sport a logo. The Browns are the only team in the NFL that does not have a logo on its helmets.
The team, one of four to never reach the Super Bowl, is calling the new crown its “Alpha Dawg.”
The “Alpha Dawg” helmets are the first brown helmets the team has used since being founded in 1946. They will be worn three times during the 2025 season in a monochromatic presentation, along with the club’s brown jerseys and pants.
“‘Alpha Dawg’ embodies what we set out to be as the Cleveland Browns, the leaders of the pack,” the team’s Executive Vice President, James Wood “JW” Johnson III, said in a statement. “We’re excited about this new alternate helmet and the ode it pays to the rich history of the color brown as part of our organization, switching it up from our iconic orange helmets.”
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Cleveland Browns’ new helmets sponsored by Dude Wipes
Dude Wipes has sponsored the helmets, much to the delight of the internet, as previously reported by USA TODAY.
In a statement, Dude Wipes co-founder Ryan Meegan said the company is “the kings of keeping things clean,” and is “here to back the Browns as they embrace a bold new look this season − with the launch of their all-brown alternate helmets.”
“We’re pumped to team up with the Browns for one of the most iconic helmet reveals the league has ever seen,” Meegan added.
The Browns originally wore white helmets when they were dominating the All-America Football Conference in the 1940s and during their first two years in the NFL (1950-51). The team switched to what’s become its signature orange helmets in 1952.
Contributing: Nate Davis, USA TODAY & Dan Kadar/ Akron Beacon Journal
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Photographer falls in Lake Erie during Browns’ helmet reveal: Video
