On Tuesday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns made franchise history by unveiling their first-ever all-brown helmet, a matte-colored piece of the new “Alpha Dawg” alternate look set to be worn during three home games this season. The reveal included a marketing stunt that floated a giant inflatable helmet on Lake Erie, courtesy of presenting sponsor Dude Wipes.
But it wasn’t the helmet or the hype that made national headlines. It was influencer Ross Smith’s unexpected plunge into the lake that spread across the internet like wildfire.
Smith, a Northeast Ohio-based content creator known for his viral videos with "Gangster Granny," has a social media following that includes nearly 25 million TikTok followers, four million on Instagram and over five million YouTube subscribers.
Smith says when he was invited to take part in the launch by both the Browns and Dude Wipes, he didn't even know he would be on a raft in the middle of Lake Erie until the night before. Smith has previously collaborated with the Browns on multiple projects, including charity events, training camp content and taking his beloved Granny onto the field.
But after the event, the spotlight wasn’t on the team’s latest uniform or even the new helmet, it was on Smith, soaking wet, climbing back onto the barge after a dramatic fall. Smith had limited space to maneuver on the barge during the reveal. As he leaned in to film the action at a .5 angle, he lost his footing and fell into the water, camera and all. Brownie threw him a raft, and he was back on land safe and sound in a matter of seconds.
“I knew my surroundings were very short,” Ross tells Cleveland Magazine, “so I was prepared if something were to happen.”
While social media quickly picked it up as another Browns fail, some fans voiced skepticism. The fall seemed too well-timed to be entirely spontaneous. Was it staged to generate buzz? He didn’t give a firm yes or no, instead saying the incident was him “being an idiot.”
“I wouldn’t say you could choreograph a fall like that,” Smith says, laughing. “I literally got out of the water onto the barge, and someone’s like, ‘Yo, you’re trending on Twitter.’ By the time I was out of the water, enough time to get back on the barge, I was already trending.”
Smith wasn’t aware that the reveal was being livestreamed on stations like WKYC, and the phone recordings hit the internet before he got the chance to post the video himself.
“There was a lifeguard that just happened to be out there for safety precautions, and he just scooped me up,” Smith says. “I couldn't ever have anticipated what happened.”
RELATED: Granny and Ross Smith: Most Interesting People 2024
Smith emphasizes that he is not a Browns employee — so don’t hold the organization responsible for his gaff, he says. The content creator insists the team had no idea the reveal would happen the way it did. Surely, though, the marketing team was happy to have the most talked-about video of the day, eclipsing the new helmet reveal itself in articles from outlets like USA Today and The New York Post.
“Falling in the water is totally me. The Browns have nothing to do with it,” he says. “I'm so thankful to work with the Browns and be a part of this Ohio pride.”
Smith, whose grandma is a central character in his viral videos, hopes the story is seen for what it is: a humorous “Ross being Ross” moment, not a reflection on the Browns or DUDE Wipes.
“I'm good, everything's good. Grandma quickly found out I was alright after a little bit of panic at first,” Smith says. “[The water] was fantastic, refreshing. It was very hot out there, and everyone's been talking about how Lake Erie is not somewhere you want to swim in, but I thought it was quite nice.”
Whether accidental or expertly executed, one thing is clear: Ross Smith went viral, again, and this time, he didn’t even need Wi-Fi.
For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.
Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.
