Cleveland Browns vow disciplinary action after Callie Brownson charged with drunk driving
The Cleveland Browns vowed to take appropriate disciplinary action after chief of staff Callie Brownson pleaded no contest to operating a vehicle under the influence in Brunswick on May 27.
Brownson's blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit, according to court records.
In a statement released Tuesday night, the Browns said, “We are aware of the incident and are extremely disappointed that a member of our organization put themselves in this situation. We take this matter very seriously and will take the appropriate disciplinary actions.”
Brownson had a hearing Tuesday in Brunswick Mayor’s Court. According to her attorney Kevin Spellacy, Brownson entered a no-contest plea on the OVI charge for driving while impaired. Two other charges, one for speeding and a second count of OVI, were dismissed.
Spellacy said Brownson will face a fine, a suspension of her license and she must attend a three-day driver intervention course.
"It was no special treatment," Spellacy said by phone. "She was treated like anybody else."
According to court records, Brownson was driving 55 mph in a 35 mph zone at 12:27 a.m. Her blood alcohol content was listed at .2150; Ohio’s legal limit is .08.
The Browns concluded their first week of organized team activities that day.
Brownson deactivated her Twitter account after the news broke.
Brownson, 31, was hired by then-first-year Browns coach Kevin Stefanski in February, 2020 for a role similar to the one he had when he broke into the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings in 2006.
She was part of a landmark moment on Sept. 27, when for the first time in league history female coaches were on opposing sidelines and a woman among the officiating crew in a regular-season game. Full-year coaching intern Jennifer King represented the Washington Football Team, while Sarah Thomas served as the down judge.
Brownson filled in for tight ends coach Drew Petzing in a Nov. 29 game at Jacksonville when Petzing’s wife Louisa gave birth to their first child. That day, Brownson became the first female interim position coach in the league. On Jan. 3 at Pittsburgh, Brownson took over for receivers coach Chad O’Shea after he tested positive for COVID-19.
The Browns are Brownson’s third NFL team. In 2017, a seven-week training camp internship with the New York Jets turned into a season stint as college/professional scouting intern. She spent 2019 as a coaching intern with the Buffalo Bills.
Stefanski said in March that Brownson would shift some of her focus this season to assisting run game coordinator/running backs coach Stump Mitchell.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' Callie Brownson pleads no contest to drunk driving charge
