CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from Jan. 13, 2021.
On Sunday, the Cleveland Browns will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional round at Arrowhead Stadium.
And while the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will prevent the Browns from holding a traditional rally or watch party for the away game, that won't stop them from doing their best to bring Cleveland fans together for the city's first divisional game in 26 years.
Today, the Browns are hosting a drive-thru playoff rally at FirstEnergy Stadium. From 11 a.m.-4 p.m., "fans can drive their vehicles down Alfred Lerner Way outside of FirstEnergy Stadium, show off their best team spirit and collect a free commemorative limited-edition playoff poster at the end of the route – while supplies last," according to the team's website.
Additionally, the Browns' mascots, Chomps and Brownie, as well as DJ Kyro and Browns alumni will be at the stadium to greet fans as they drive through. ESPN WKNR 850 will also be broadcasting live from the event.
It’s going to look a lot different than the event that took place on Jan. 18, 2018. Back then, Browns fan Chris McNeil organized the Browns Perfect Season Parade, which was not a celebration.
"We had the Cleveland Cavaliers winning it all, the Indians in the World Series, and then you had the Cleveland Browns stumbling all over the field," McNeil remembered. "It gave us a chance to have a cathartic release to enjoy ourselves in an afternoon to poke fun at the fact that we had gone 0-16."
Today, fans are singing a different tune, and that includes ultimate Browns fan Debra Darnall, aka "The Bone Lady."
"Who would have thought in the middle of a pandemic? Oh, Browns are in the playoffs."
'WE'RE NOT USED TO THIS!: 'The Bone Lady' revels in Browns' playoff ride
Directions to accessing the rally are as follows: "Enter via the East 9th Street bridge and Erieside Avenue, past the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Vehicles will not have access from East 3rd Street."
The Browns Pro Shop at FirstEnergy Stadium will also be open, selling commemorative postseason gear. Fans looking to shop at the pro shop are asked to park in the metered spots across from the Great Lakes Science Center. Additionally, pay lots are available at the Port of Cleveland (west side of the stadium), North Coast Harbor (north of the stadium) and the Great Lakes Science Center.
