Bay Village: Browns long snapper returns to alma mater for cleat design day

Cleveland Browns long snapper Rex Sunahara visited Bay High School in Bay Village on Tuesday to introduce art students to the My Cause My Cleats program. The initiative allows NFL players to wear custom-designed shoes to highlight specific charitable causes. Sunahara selected the Browns' Stay in the Game! Attendance Network as his focus, serving as an ambassador for the group that promotes consistent student attendance across Northeast Ohio.

The former Bay Village resident welcomed the students into a classroom to explain the project. Sunahara noted his personal connection to the school and his lack of artistic skill. “I'm from Bay Village. I went to Bay High School. I'm really excited to be here with you guys, and I'm really happy you guys are going to help me design my cleats that I'm going to wear this year because I can't draw at all,” he said while laughing. The students spent the afternoon sketching, coloring, and working on digital concepts for the footwear.

While the students worked on their designs, Sunahara toured the campus to reconnect with teachers and coaches from his high school years. The creative process yielded various concepts that reflected different aspects of the community. Some designs incorporated the traditional brown and orange colors of the Cleveland Browns. Others featured the colors associated with Bay High School. Additional elements included rockets and illustrations of the Cleveland skyline.

The selected designs will be sent to a professional artist who will paint the final pair of cleats. Sunahara plans to wear them during the Week 12 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The My Cause My Cleats game serves as a specific occasion for players to showcase these charitable connections on the field. The collaboration between the player and the students ensured the footwear represents the local community's input.

As the event concluded, Sunahara distributed gift bags to the participating students. Each bag contained a special surprise from the player and the organization. Inside, the students found two tickets to the upcoming game. “There are [two] tickets to the My Cause My Cleats game for all of you guys, so we will see you guys at the game,” Sunahara told the group. The students will have the opportunity to see their designs in person during that matchup.