Dawgs By Nature
The Cleveland Browns currently employ one of the league’s best special teams coaches with Bubba Ventrone. Before coming to Cleveland, he had the Indianapolis Colts in the Top 5 for several years.
Along with standouts like Pierre Strong and Troy Brown as gunners or regular tacklers, the Browns have one of the league’s best punters, who hasn’t quite been named to the Pro Bowl, and a roller coaster for a kicker in Dustin Hopkins.
And until last season, long snapper Charley Hughlett had performed well in his 10 years with the Browns after being hired in 2014. He sustained a rib injury in Week 5 last season in the 34-13 loss to the Washington Commanders. This led to him being placed on IR with one year remaining on the four-year extension he inked in 2022.
Suddenly, Cleveland was without a long snapper.
On the surface, this would appear to be a simple task. Take the football, heave it back to the punter or the placement holder on field goals, and then brush up against a defender. For one, the player is upside down. For another, he is required to hike a spiral. And to a specific spot. Lastly, on PATs and field goal attempts, it is nine yards. For a punt – 15 yards. Upside down. Spinning without any wobbles or hitting the turf on a short snap.
The timespan was mid-October. Anybody worth snot is already on another team’s roster. Browns GM Andrew Berry scoured the practice squad rosters of the other 31 clubs, and also the waiver wire for a competent replacement. In the end, he hired a player that had already been under contract with the Browns: Rex Sunahara.
Sunahara (6’-6”, 242 pounds) was signed to be competition for Hughlett, age 35, in training camp after playing for the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL. He became a final cutdown release, then signed to the practice squad, then was released a few days later. Right after Hughlett’s injury, Berry called him back – this time, with a permanent gig.
He would finish out the year, and the coaching staff was impressed with the 28-year-old’s efforts.
In February, Hughlett was released. Sunahara was invited to training camp. So was Brent Matiscik (6’-2”, 235 pounds) out of TCU. And in training camp 2025, this has been an intense competition.
But who are these guys?
Rex Sunahara
Sunahara is an Ohio kid, having grown up in Bay Village, Ohio, just west of Cleveland on Route 6 right on Lake Erie. The Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is located in Bay Village.
He was a basketball star who also played football and baseball. He averaged 15.7 points a game with 9.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 4.5 blocks. He was named First Team All-West Shore Conference, Second Team All-Northeast District, and All-Ohio Honorable Mention. He also earned First Team All-Morning Journal Team and participated in the Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association All-Star game.
To this day, he still holds the Bay...
