Rex Sunahara Bio
Rex Sunahara (born October 9, 1996) is an American professional football long snapper for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) and weighing 242 lb (110 kg), he plays a specialized role that demands accuracy and consistency on field goal, extra point, and punt plays. Sunahara went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft and has built his career through practice squad moves, spring league opportunities, and short stints with multiple organizations before landing a roster spot in Cleveland.
He played college football for the Rhode Island Rams and the West Virginia Mountaineers after beginning his career as a multi-sport athlete in Ohio. Across his professional journey, Sunahara has appeared in NFL regular season games, contributed on special teams units, and earned recognition as a Patrick Mannelly Award Semifinalist during his senior collegiate season.
Early Life and Background
Rex Sunahara was born on October 9, 1996, in Bay Village, Ohio, in the United States. He grew up in a household with strong athletic ties, as he is of Japanese descent through his father Reed, who came from Hawaii and serves as the head coach of the women’s volleyball program at West Virginia University. His younger brother, RJ, played college basketball for the University of Georgia, continuing the family’s connection to collegiate athletics.
Sunahara attended Bay High School, where he competed in varsity baseball, football, and basketball. On the football field, he lined up at wide receiver and defensive back, demonstrating versatility before specializing. During his senior year, his performance earned him All-Ohio Division IV Third Team honors, an early indicator of his athletic potential.
After graduating from Bay High School, Sunahara committed to the University of Rhode Island in order to remain a multi-sport athlete. It was there that he converted to the long snapper position, a move that ultimately shaped his professional trajectory and opened the door to a career in football.
Path to Professional Football
At the University of Rhode Island, Sunahara played football and walked on to the basketball team, continuing his multi-sport approach. During the football season, he appeared in eight games as the long snapper and recorded four special teams tackles. On the basketball side, he appeared in three games and logged one rebound before deciding to transfer.
After his first year at Rhode Island, Sunahara chose to transfer to West Virginia University to pursue a larger stage. He walked on to the West Virginia Mountaineers football team before the 2016 season and spent two seasons as a backup to Nick Meadows. In 2018, he earned the starting long snapper role, and over the 2018 and 2019 seasons, he started 24 games while recording four special teams tackles.
Following the 2019 season, Sunahara was named a Patrick Mannelly Award Semifinalist, recognizing the top long snappers in college football. He was also invited to participate in the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate All-Star Game and the 2020 Hula Bowl All-Star Game, two prominent pre-draft showcases that helped elevate his professional profile.
Rex Sunahara Career
Early Career (2020-2021)
Sunahara signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent on August 1, 2020, beginning his professional career. He was waived just three days later on August 4, 2020, before participating in a workout for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He returned to the Dolphins via the practice squad on November 16, 2020, signed a reserve/futures deal after the season, and remained with the organization into 2021 before being waived again on August 9, 2021.
On December 8, 2021, Sunahara signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was assigned to their practice squad. After being cut two days later, he returned on a reserve/futures contract on January 18, 2022. The Steelers waived him on May 10, 2022, closing his first NFL chapter and setting the stage for a spring football opportunity.
San Antonio Brahmas Breakthrough (2023)
On November 17, 2022, Sunahara was selected with the seventh pick of the specialists phase of the 2023 XFL Draft by the San Antonio Brahmas. He appeared in all ten games during the Brahmas’ season, providing reliability at long snapper on a young spring league roster.
His strong performance in the XFL led to an NFL workout opportunity. On June 2, 2023, Sunahara participated in a workout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, demonstrating that his spring production had caught the attention of NFL teams once again.
Cleveland Browns Era (2024-Present)
After a brief second stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023, during which he signed a one-year deal on June 19, 2023, and was released on August 26, 2023, Sunahara returned to the San Antonio Brahmas in January 2024. His contract with the Brahmas was terminated on August 8, 2024, the same day he signed with the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns waived Sunahara on August 26, 2024, but re-signed him to the practice squad. After being released a few days later, he was signed to the active roster on October 9, 2024, his birthday, marking the moment he secured a regular NFL roster spot. Through the 2025 NFL season, he has appeared in 29 regular season games and recorded 9 total tackles.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a long snapper, Sunahara’s value is measured by accuracy, consistency, and poise under pressure. His background as a multi-sport athlete through high school and his first college year helped him develop coordination and body control, while his two seasons as a starter at West Virginia refined his timing and snap mechanics. His size at 6 ft 6 in allows him to deliver snaps with a consistent trajectory in varying weather conditions, and his special teams tackling production at both the college and professional levels shows he is willing to contribute beyond his core responsibility.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most meaningful moments of his career, Sunahara’s signing to the Cleveland Browns’ active roster on October 9, 2024, his birthday, stands out as a milestone that capped years of practice squad movement. His selection by the San Antonio Brahmas in the 2023 XFL Draft, his Patrick Mannelly Award Semifinalist recognition, and his invitations to the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate All-Star Game and the 2020 Hula Bowl All-Star Game each reflect key steps in his rise from undrafted free agent to NFL contributor.
Rex Sunahara Career Highlights
Rex Sunahara’s career has been built on perseverance through multiple practice squad stints and short-term contracts. His appearances in 29 NFL regular season games with 9 total tackles reflect steady contribution on special teams units, while his ten-game run with the San Antonio Brahmas in the XFL showcased his long snapping reliability on a different stage.
Cleveland Browns Highlights
Since joining the Cleveland Browns in 2024, Sunahara has settled into a roster role and contributed on special teams. Through the 2025 season, he has appeared in 29 regular season games and recorded 9 total tackles, demonstrating durability and dependability at the long snapper position.
Other Performances
Sunahara started 24 games at long snapper for the West Virginia Mountaineers across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, recording 4 special teams tackles along the way. At the University of Rhode Island, he appeared in 8 football games as the long snapper and contributed 4 special teams tackles during his freshman year.
Rex Sunahara Family
Family Background and Athletic Lineage
Rex Sunahara comes from a family with deep ties to collegiate athletics. His father, Reed Sunahara, is of Japanese descent, came from Hawaii, and serves as the head coach of the women’s volleyball program at West Virginia University, the same school where Rex played his final three college football seasons. His younger brother, RJ Sunahara, played college basketball for the University of Georgia, continuing the family’s pattern of multi-sport participation at the collegiate level.
Personal Life
Rex Sunahara was born and raised in Bay Village, Ohio, and has continued to build his career in the United States. His family’s involvement in collegiate coaching and athletics has been a consistent influence throughout his playing career.
2025 Season Performance
During the 2025 NFL season, Rex Sunahara continues to serve as the Cleveland Browns’ long snapper after being elevated to the active roster in October 2024. Through the current campaign, he has played in 29 regular season games for the Browns, a workload that reflects the team’s confidence in his accuracy and reliability on field goal, extra point, and punt operations.
His 9 total tackles during the season underscore his willingness to contribute on coverage units, not just on the snap itself. Operating within the Browns’ special teams structure, Sunahara’s consistency has helped stabilize a phase of the game that often goes unnoticed when executed cleanly.
Looking ahead, Sunahara’s role with the Browns appears secure given his durability and track record. As the 2025 season progresses, his primary objective remains delivering clean snaps in all situations while continuing to develop chemistry with the Browns’ kickers, punters, and special teams coordinators.
