Huntington Bank Field has earned a chilling distinction just in time for Halloween, ranking as the third-most haunted NFL stadium in the country according to a new study.
The research from sports website Pickswise analyzed all NFL stadiums using five haunted metrics: proximity to the nearest cemetery, ghost stories associated with the venue, stadium age, years without a Super Bowl appearance, and the number of haunted locations in the home state.
The Browns’ home scored 6.6 out of 10 on the haunted scale, placing it among the league’s spookiest venues. The stadium sits just one mile from Erie Street Cemetery, the fourth-shortest distance between any NFL stadium and a cemetery in the entire league.
The Browns’ championship drought significantly adds to the eerie atmosphere. Cleveland remains one of only four NFL teams that have never reached a Super Bowl in the franchise’s 59-year history, contributing to a sense of a curse hanging over the venue. The team has never hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, and many fans wonder if supernatural forces are at play.
Ohio itself amplifies the haunted factor with 1.03 spooky locations per 1,000 square miles, totaling 46 haunted sites scattered across the state that fans might want to avoid.
The stadium’s relative youth offers some relief from the ghostly rankings. At 26 years old, Huntington Bank Field falls just below the NFL average age of 27 years, potentially making it less likely to harbor long-standing spirits compared to older venues.
Huntington Bank Field also received a ghost story score of 8 out of 10, indicating multiple paranormal tales associated with the lakefront venue.
The Caesars Superdome in New Orleans claimed the top spot as the most haunted stadium with a score of 7.41 out of 10. The 50-year-old stadium sits just 0.75 miles from the nearest cemetery and earned a perfect 9 out of 10 for ghost stories. Louisiana boasts 3.84 haunted locations per 1,000 square miles, the highest concentration in the study.
Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium came in second at 6.76 out of 10. The 52-year-old venue sits a mere 0.1 miles from the nearest cemetery, the closest proximity of any NFL stadium. The Bills haven’t reached a Super Bowl in 32 years, and the stadium also earned a 9 out of 10 for ghost stories.
Meanwhile, Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati ranked 26th with a haunted score of just 2.59 out of 10, making it one of the least haunted venues in the league. The Bengals’ stadium sits 3.5 miles from the nearest cemetery, tied for the second-furthest distance in the NFL. At only 25 years old, the venue is relatively new.
The Bengals reached Super Bowl LVI just four years ago, though they fell short of their first championship. Despite sharing Ohio’s 46 haunted locations, Paycor Stadium earned just a 3 out of 10 for ghost stories, suggesting a more peaceful atmosphere.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Empower Field at Mile High in Denver ranked as the least haunted stadium with a score of just 2 out of 10. The Broncos’ home sits 3.5 miles from the nearest cemetery and earned only a 1 out of 10 for ghost stories.
Other notable rankings include MetLife Stadium in fourth place with a score of 5.4 out of 10, serving as home to both the New York Giants and New York Jets. Ford Field in Detroit rounded out the top five with a score of 5.22, sitting just 0.7 miles from the nearest cemetery.
Historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay ranked seventh despite being 68 years old, the oldest stadium in the study. However, the Packers’ relative success, with a Super Bowl appearance just 15 years ago, helped keep their haunted score to 4.9 out of 10.
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