CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is more than just a force to be reckoned with on the gridiron. He also is very involved in the community and in his latest off-field project has commissioned a new public art installation in Cleveland entitled “Cleveland is the Reason."
You can watch the unveiling in the player below:
Garrett collaborated with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Destination Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission to bring a new piece of art to the city of Cleveland as part of the #VoicesofCLE initiative.
"I'm glad to say I'm a part of it and I only had that chance because of the Cleveland Browns and what they've allowed me to do, the partnership with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance and Glen Infante, being able to put this beautiful art work up and being able to have something we can look and smile upon every time we go down the road," Garrett said.
Created by local artist Glen Infante, who has other pieces showcased around the city as part of #VoicesofCLE, the multi-paned mural is one large representation of The Land.
Infante has collaborated with some big names including Nike, Honda, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kid Cudi, Machine Gun Kelly, Wale and Bone Thugs -N- Harmony.
Garrett personally selected Infante to create the mural, which is "inspired by Cleveland icons of sports, culture, and rock 'n' roll."
Featured in the mural are famous Clevelanders in culture, sports and music—LeBron James, Machine Gun Kelly, Toni Morrison, Jim Brown, Jesse Owens and Tracy Chapman.
"When you think of Cleveland, we often think about these popular personalities who helped shape the culture of our city,” Infante said in a press release. “I wanted to make sure that those who found success in their respected fields were being recognized and thanked for their accomplishments.”
The new mural is located at the Cleveland Visitors Center at 334 Euclid Avenue.
As for Garrett, he's no stranger to paying it forward to the community. Last season, Garrett was named the Browns 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award given to recognize NFL players for the performance on the field and their dedication to the community.
"A lot of people look at Cleveland and they kind of just write it off so when I tell them about it I say 'Just come in with an open mind, there's a lot of things you don't know about, a lot of hidden gems,'" Garrett said. "It's always felt like a second home."
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