Cleveland Browns' Beloved Bullmastiff Mascot SJ Passes Away

Rest in peace to Swagger Jr.

Swagger Jr. takes the field before the Cleveland Browns' game. / David Petkiewicz, Cleveland.com

Swagger Jr., the Cleveland Browns' bullmastiff mascot (also known as SJ), has passed away, the team has sadly announced.

We are sad to announce the passing of our beloved mascot, SJ. We are so grateful for his many years of loyal support and cherish all of the wonderful memories he helped create for fans young and old. pic.twitter.com/bQ6c6HiuA7

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 2, 2024

The adorable pup succeeded his father, Swagger, as the Browns' mascot in 2019. The elder of the two canines had been serving as the mascot since 2014.

Swagger Jr. had upheld the tradition of leading the Browns on to the field in home games,

Known for his affinity for using Terrible Towels as a chew toy, Swagger Jr. will forever live on in the hearts of the Cleveland faithful.

Once the Browns lay Swagger Jr. to rest, we'll see which new bullmastiff will continue the legacy of the Swagger family. It should be noted that Swagger Jr. does have offspring and was bred by notable breeders Nick and Sarah Lizalde of Lyndhurst, Oh., so we'll see if the family dynasty resumes.

The original Swagger was the first live mascot of the Browns.

Cleveland is coming off of an 11-6 campaign in which it made the playoffs in spite of shuffling through five different starting quarterbacks during the regular season. The Browns would ultimately lose to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round, but it still represented an exciting year for the franchise.

Now, Cleveland is facing rather high expectations heading into 2024. Deshaun Watson is returning from shoulder surgery, and the Browns' No. 1-ranked defense is still intact. Plus, Cleveland bolstered its weaponry by acquiring wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in a trade earlier this offseason.

The Browns have won just one playoff game since re-entering the NFL as a franchise in 1999, so they are looking to take a massive step forward this coming season.

We'll see if the Browns can make Swagger Jr. proud in 2024.