Browns youth football department continued its mission of supporting youth and high school football programs by hosting a large-scale equipment giveaway held on May 10 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. They welcomed 25 high school football programs and 50 coaches from across Northeast and Central Ohio for their annual equipment giveaway.
"It's amazing. It's a great reminder of where we came from," CB Anthony Kendall said. "I know when I was in high school, I would have been grateful for something like this."
The Browns Give Back initiative, with support from Browns players including LB Winston Reid and Kendall, helped make this year's event another success. Staff across the organization—including football operations and strength and conditioning—worked together to gather, organize and distribute inventory to area coaches.
The Browns first began the equipment giveaway in 2021, handing out helmets and shoulder pads. Over the last five years, the giveaway has evolved to include cleats, workout equipment, jerseys, game pants, gear and apparel for the high school programs.
This year, the Browns gave out more than 500 pairs of cleats and hundreds of apparel items including compression gear, t-shirts, workout tees and more. Coaches also received football essentials including game pants, practice jerseys, arm sleeves, headbands, tights and chinstraps.
For the first time, the giveaway expanded to include strength and conditioning equipment—an increasingly vital resource for developing football programs. Items included benches, racks, barbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, weighted vests, plyometric boxes, full plate sets, exercise bikes and other training gear.
For many schools, these donations filled urgent needs heading into the upcoming football season.
"Honestly, this is a blessing," Brooklyn High School head coach Travis Agnew said. "At Brooklyn, we're not fortunate enough to have the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art equipment. So, the fact that we're able to come here and build our strength and conditioning program from the ground up means everything. All of this equipment is definitely going to be used the right way."
In total, the Browns donated over $200,000 worth of cleats, apparel, gear and training equipment. These donations help offset the costs that local high school football programs in both Northeast and Central Ohio would typically face heading into a new season. The donations also helped ensure student-athletes have access to safe, functional gear—many of whom might otherwise go without.
The Browns remain committed to growing the game of football across Northeast Ohio through impactful programming, ongoing coaching education and annual initiatives like the equipment donation. With the continued involvement of Browns players, coaches and staff, youth football remains a key pillar of the team's community outreach efforts.
"It's all about the kids. It's not about the coaches or the adults involved — it's about the kids and giving back to the community," Agnew said.
