A Maryland father disappeared after traveling to Cleveland with a friend to watch his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers play the Cleveland Browns.
His family is now desperately searching for answers as police describe the circumstances of his disappearance as “concerning.”
As Fox News reported [1], Phoenix Phillips, 24, was last seen at about 6 a.m. Friday in downtown Cleveland, according to a missing person alert from the Cleveland Division of Police. He had attended the football game Thursday night before vanishing hours later.
Phoenix Phillips (24) was visiting Cleveland, Ohio, for Thursday night’s game against the Browns. He is originally from Maryland.
Last seen at 6am on Friday morning in the area of West 10th Street, near West Superior and the Robert Lockwood area.
Cleveland PD says detectives are searching the area where he was last seen. Phoenix was in town visiting and at some point he became separated from the person he was with. Now he’s gone. #missingperson
— Rose (@901Lulu) October 5, 2026 [2]
Police said Phillips may be traveling on foot. Authorities have asked the public to help find him as detectives investigate what happened after he became separated from the friend who accompanied him to Cleveland.
Phillips is from the Baltimore area and is the father of a 2-year-old boy, Cleveland Missing cofounder Sylvia Colon told Fox News Digital. He traveled to Cleveland specifically to attend the Steelers game against the Browns.
Phillips stands 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs about 170 pounds, according to police. He has blue eyes and was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, beige pants, and white tennis shoes.
Cleveland police spokesperson Sgt. Freddy Diaz said Phillips became separated from his friend before he disappeared.
“He’s from out of state, so he was in town visiting and at some point kind of got separated from the person he was with, and after that, you know, we’re still trying to determine what actually happened,” Diaz told ABC affiliate WEWS.
Detectives are searching the area where Phillips was last seen, Diaz told the station. Investigators are also looking for surveillance video and following tips that could help them establish where Phillips went and determine his current whereabouts.
The game that brought Phillips to Cleveland was played Thursday night. The Browns’ stadium is located on the waterfront, while Phillips was last seen the following morning in downtown Cleveland.
Members of Phillips’ family have traveled to Cleveland as the search continues, Colon told Fox News Digital. They are assisting with the effort to locate him far from his home in the Baltimore area.
Colon planned to meet with Phillips’ family in person Tuesday. Cleveland Missing is working to support the family as they search the city and seek information about Phillips’ movements after the game.
The organization is helping provide fliers that family members can use while canvassing the area. Cleveland Missing will also serve as a conduit between the family and law enforcement while determining what other assistance the relatives need.
Police have not publicly detailed what may have happened after Phillips and his friend became separated. Diaz said investigators were still trying to determine what occurred once Phillips was no longer with the person who had traveled with him.
The public appeal focuses on information that might help detectives retrace Phillips’ movements. His clothing, physical description, and last known location have been released so people in Cleveland can help identify him.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Cleveland Division of Police for additional information surrounding the disappearance.
The department’s alert emphasized both the circumstances described as “concerning” and the possibility that Phillips could be moving around on foot.
The search remains active, with detectives examining the area where Phillips was last seen and pursuing information submitted to police. Anyone who knows where Phillips is or has information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact Cleveland police.