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Cleveland rocks! Free beer fridges pop open after Browns win

This Bud's for you. As promised, Bud Light used Wi-Fi to unlock free beer for long-suffering Browns fans.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, generational studies. Credentials
  • Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
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Gael Cooper
2 min read
AP Photo/Butch Dill

Before Thursday night, the Cleveland Browns hadn't won a football game since Christmas Eve 2016, 635 days ago. How long ago was that? Back then, Barack Obama was president and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the new hot movie.

At first, things didn't look too promising for the Browns. When starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor left the game with a concussion before halftime, the team was down 14-0. 

But then, rookie Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL draft, brought fans to their feet. And it happened: the Browns beat the New York Jets 21-17, collecting their first win in 19 games.

"STOP THE PRESSES! BROWNS WIN BROWNS WIN BROWNS WIN," tweeted CBS Sports. (Disclosure: CBS is the parent company of CNET.)

And there was a special benefit for Browns' fans after the win. Bud Light had placed numerous locked coolers full of beer around the city, promising that once the Browns got that elusive win, they'd be unlocked via W-Fi to offer free drinks.

Drinks are on them, Clevelanders. A tweet from Bud Light sent right after the game read, "Cleveland, the Browns won. The fridges are open. Go celebrate with a Bud Light. You've earned it."

The Cleveland police were both excited for their team and wary of the sudden deluge of free alcohol. After the game, the police department's official account tweeted, "We WON!!! —-Wait....Oh God. The free beer thing...Ok Cleveland. Stay calm. GO BROWNS!!!":

Fans were quick to share video of the fridges finally opening up. Riots did not seem to ensue.

The Browns team account got in on the fun, too, tweeting, "OPEN THOSE FRIDGES BUD LIGHT!" 

Although not everyone is a Bud Light drinker. "Congratulations Cleveland, your reward for your first win in almost 2 years is shitty beer," wrote one Twitter user.

The Browns get a chance at another win on Sunday Sept. 30, when they take on the Raiders. But if they do win, fans will have to buy their own beer.

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