The Cleveland Browns added a veteran offensive lineman and former Pro Bowler to their practice squad as Rodger Saffold hops on the ride for a playoff run. Saffold, a Bedford native, grew up as a lifelong fan of the Browns.
According to the Associated Press’s Tom Withers, Saffold was even present for one of the more infamous games in Browns’ history: the Bottlegate game.
Throwing it back to 2001, a moment in which the officials rewound and overturned a play even though it was two plays in the past caused the stadium to erupt in frustration toward the crew. This resulted in a sea of beer bottles being tossed onto the field and in the direction of the officials.
Saffold recounts sitting in the stands for the event:
“Obviously, I wasn’t going to throw anything because I was a young guy, but yeah, I was there, man. I lived and died with this team.”
As Saffold even has a chance to play this weekend as his hometown team rests their starters against the Cincinnati Bengals, he’ll be hoping for a much cleaner outcome than that unfateful 2001 afternoon.
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