Guardians Legend Makes Surprise Appearance at Browns Game

While some Cleveland Browns fans may have been surprised to see Deshaun Watson back on the field in Week 9, his return wasn't totally unexpected. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced on Friday that Watson would return this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, spoiling the surprise.

There was still a surprising guest in the house at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday, but it was in the stands rather than on gridiron (and no, unfortunately it wasn't Taylor Swift).

Terry Francona Browns Game

Former Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona was on hand for Sunday's Browns game. He was shown on the big video screen, alerting the crowd to his presence. Cleveland fans immediately began chanting "Tito! Tito! Tito!"

Francona returned the affection with a warm smile, a thumbs up and a wave. He was wearing a Browns sweatshirt and was holding one of his granddaughters, who was dressed in orange.

The legendary manager has been in the news a fair amount lately. He recently managed his last game for the Guardians, retiring after 11 seasons with the team. Cleveland is still searching for someone to replace the future Hall of Famer, who guided the Guardians to six postseason berths during his time at the helm, including a World Series appearance in 2016.

It was nice to see Francona enjoying his retirement and supporting another local team. At 64 years old, he stepped away from managing to deal with his health issues and spend more time with his family. The popular skipper will always be welcome in Cleveland, where is he clearly beloved based on the warm reception that he received on Sunday.