Myles Garrett’s chase for NFL history will come to a close on Sunday, one way or another.
And you could make an easy case that Joe Burrow was the quarterback destined to play a supporting role in the signature moment of Garrett’s latest sack crusade.
Garrett will lead the Cleveland Browns into Cincinnati in Week 18, still sitting one sack shy of breaking the NFL’s single-season sack record of 22.5.
Garrett currently has 22 sacks in 16 games. If he can get to 23-plus, he’ll pass current record holders Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt, albeit with the bonus of a 17-game season; Strahan accomplished the feat in 16 games in 2001, and Watt only needed 15 games to do it in 2021, despite missing two games due to injuries.
Regardless, Garrett’s feat will be one for the books, considering the Browns have been one of the worst teams in football this year. Cleveland’s offense enters the season finale ranked 32nd in total EPA per play, according to SumerSports, and 31st in scoring. The Browns have been excellent on defense, with Garrett leading the charge, but he hasn’t exactly had it easy, often hunting opposing QBs with his team trailing on the scoreboard.
It’s been especially difficult as of late, with teams specifically tailoring their game plans around avoiding Garrett's sacks. Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers clearly wanted nothing to do with Garrett's record-breaking highlight in recent weeks; he wound up getting credited with just a half-sack over those two games combined.
The good news? Burrow’s the perfect QB to take Garrett’s history-making sack, as the two have developed a unique relationship thanks to far too many encounters behind the line of scrimmage (at least for Burrow and the Bengals).
There clearly isn’t a better QB for Myles Garrett to set the record against than Joe Burrow
Back during the season opener, Burrow took three total sacks and was hit seven times by the Browns’ tough defense.
That’s nothing new to Burrow over his career in Cincinnati. He’s been sacked 211 times in just 76 games since his rookie year in 2020. He’s been sacked more times on average than any QB not named Russell Wilson over that span.
It’s also no surprise that Garrett dropped Burrow for two of those three sacks back in Week 1. Garrett has sacked Burrow 11 times throughout his nine-year career, which is tied with Lamar Jackson for his highest total overall.
He was well aware this week, too, when reporters asked about his propensity to get to Burrow over the years.
“Would I have known?” Garrett said when told about the stat. “Absolutely. I’ve seen his face, on the ground, looking up at me saying, ‘Hi, Myles,’ and ‘Hi, Joe,’ too many times. So yeah, I figured he’d be at the top.”
Burrow also had a refreshing take on the NFL sack record, essentially confirming that he has no plans to purposely foil Garrett’s plans, as it appeared Rodgers did in Week 17. “I’m certainly not gonna overcompensate either way,” was how Burrow relayed it to reporters on Wednesday.
It just sets the perfect stage. Burrow’s not only one of Garrett’s favorite QBs to sack, but he’s the kind of class act who will play the game straight-up and let the chips fall where they may.
Hopefully, Joe gets to say hi to Myles at least one more time in 2026.