The Browns hosted the Buccaneers under unusual circumstances last Sunday after their home field was damaged days before the game.
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A suspect has been named in the ongoing investigation regarding an act of vandalism that took place at FirstEnergy Stadium a few days prior to the Browns’ game against the Buccaneers last Sunday.
The Cleveland Police Department have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Anthony Robert Westley O’Neal, according to a Thursday report from the Associated Press. O’Neal has not been arrested and is currently not facing charges in connection with the incident, per AP, but authorities stated that he will be a “direct indictment” to the Cuyahoga County grand jury.
The Browns and Bucs entered their matchup facing less-than-stellar field conditions following an incident that reportedly took place on Nov. 21. According to News 5 Cleveland, an individual broke into FirstEnergy Stadium overnight and drove a vehicle on the field, leaving noticeable tire tracks and divots on the playing surface.
In a statement released prior to the game, Cleveland announced it had been in touch with the NFL and police regarding the matter before declaring the damage wouldn’t affect the game.
“We take pride in the strong reviews and reputation of our stadium’s playing surface,” the team said in a statement on Tuesday. “We have been in touch with the NFL on the matter and are confident after repair our field will be ready for Sunday’s game vs. the Tampa Buccaneers.”
Sunday’s game ended up being played as scheduled after an independent field inspector hired by the NFL determined the damage caused any playability issues. The Browns went on to defeat the Bucs, 23–17, in overtime.
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