Myles Garrett is allergic to not earning awards for his defense from 2024.
On Friday, the NFL's All-Pro teams were announced, and Garrett's name was among 12 defenders named to the First Team on that All-Pro list. He joined Cincinnati Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson, DL Cameron Heyward, LB Roquan Smith, and CB Marlon Humphrey as one of the AFC North defenders to top the All-Pro list.
Garrett was the best pass rusher statistically in the NFL this season. His 92.8 pass rush grade from PFF in addition to his league-best pass rush win rate of 23.1 percent proved just how dominant he was throughout 2024. While Hendrickson beat him out for most sacks in the league, his 14 sacks for a fourth straight season were still historic.
Garrett should earn more noise for DPOY
It's tough to win back to back on a professional level for any award. The Kansas City Chiefs have done it, and now they're a dynasty. The Golden State Warriors in the NBA or the Houston Comets in the WNBA are other examples of just how rare, but fun, back to back victories can be. But, those were team victories - not individual ones. And, that's what Garrett would be trying for with another DPOY win.
His award from last year didn't come without controversy stirred by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, who expressed that he felt snubbed by the league when he lost the award to Garrett, became the storyline as opposed to the storyline being Garrett winning his first DPOY.
This season, Garrett simply has too much amazing competition. Between Pat Surtain II in Denver being such a lockdown defender, Watt continuing to be a force for the Steelers defensively, and the Detroit Lions' Kerby Joseph collecting a league high nine interceptions, it's been tough for Garrett to break out amongst the crowding.
But, numbers don't lie. It can definitely be argued that, in terms of pure individual winning, Garrett is the best player amongst this pack defensively. His ability to break through almost any offensive line and attack the quarterback in the pocket is uncanny, and the consistency with which he managed to do this throughout 2024 despite the Browns losing so much shows how much he just cares about playing winning defense.
But, with a 3-14 record, Garrett was always going to lag behind playoff players like Watt, Joseph, and Surtain. However, All-Pro recognition for the fourth time in his career is great, too.