Celebrity Chef Michael Symon Celebrates Browns Making Playoffs for First Time Since 2002

The Cleveland Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-22 on Sunday afternoon, officially booking a trip to the postseason. This win marked the first time since 2002 that the NFL franchise reached the playoffs and prompted celebrations from a multitude of fans, including a celebrity chef. Michael Symon, host of Burgers, Brew & ‘Que, showcased his excitement with a Browns-centric post on Instagram.

Symon posted a photo on Instagram that showed him decked out in Browns gear. He had on a festive winter hat, Baker Mayfield jersey, Browns zip-up hooded sweatshirt and Browns shorts. The photo showed that Symon was clearly excited about the future of his favorite NFL team. “Current mood!!!!….Playoff time [Cleveland Browns] !!!” he wrote in the caption of the post.

Symon is a Cleveland native and a massive fan of his hometown team, which he has shown throughout the years. He has multiple posts about the Browns on his social media platforms. For example, he headed to Twitter on Sunday and wrote, “So happy.” This direct tweet prompted several responses on social media, including one from Kansas City Chiefs tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who offered his congratulations.

Of course, Symon showed his excitement on Twitter, which meant that critics immediately responded to tell him that his favorite team will lose. The celebrity chef saw these comments and provided his reasoning for why the game should be competitive. He cited the lack of coaches and players due to COVID-19.

“Should be a great game …we also had 5 starters out on d and 3 coaches out ..hopefully both teams are at as full strength as possible for this time of year,” Symon tweeted. He also mentioned in another tweet that the Browns only had one practice in the week leading up to the pivotal game.

The Browns and Steelers both entered the Week 17 game missing critical players, albeit for different reasons. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and other Pittsburgh starters were resting due to having already clinched a spot in the playoffs. The Browns, on the other hand, lost multiple players on defense after they all tested positive. The list included starting cornerback Denzel Ward, linebacker Malcolm Smith and safety Andrew Sendejo among others.

There are still questions about whether these players will be able to suit up, but the timeline will benefit the team. The Steelers and Browns will cap off the Wild Card round with a Sunday night game. With a 10-day timeline, there is a possibility that Ward could rejoin his teammates for the game. Although fans will have to wait for a definitive answer.