Hall of Famer Charles Woodson Buys Stake in Browns, Joins Hometown Team in Stunning Ownership Move

Legendary NFL defensive back Charles Woodson has purchased a minority ownership stake in the Cleveland Browns, joining his hometown team.

On Tuesday, the Browns revealed a major announcement on the Hall-of-Famer, officially welcoming him into the fold.

Woodson played 18 seasons in the NFL between 1998 and 2015, spending time with the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers. During that time, he made nine Pro Bowl appearances while earning three First-Team All-Pro selections. He also won a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2009.

The University of Michigan product led the league in interceptions twice, topping out at nine with the Packers in 2011. He played both cornerback and safety throughout his illustrious NFL career, demonstrating his tremendous versatility.

The crown jewel of Woodson's professional tenure, however, came during the 2010-11 campaign, when he played a major role in Green Bay winning a Super Bowl championship.

Most of his career was spent with the Raiders, where he played 11 years across two separate stints. He was originally drafted by Oakland in 1998 and ultimately concluded his NFL tenure with the Silver and Black over the final three years of his career.

Woodson racked up an incredible 183 passes defended throughout his playing days, also totaling 65 picks and an eye-opening 13 defensive touchdowns.

Now, the 48-year-old will link up with a Browns organization that could certainly use a boost, as Cleveland has made just three trips to the playoffs since re-entering the league as a franchise back in 1999.