Myles Garrett just told it like it is after missing sack record in Browns win

Myles Garrett walked off the field smiling on Sunday. 

He didn’t get to celebrate the 16-game NFL sack record he’s been coveting, but doing serious damage to a division rival’s playoff hopes will have to suffice.

Aaron Rodgers seemed to make it his life’s mission not to get sacked by Garrett during Sunday’s game, but the Cleveland Browns will happily live with the results. With Garrett drawing chips and double teams on virtually every snap, the Browns got back to playing dominant football on defense, holding Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers scoreless in the second half of their 13-6 win inside Huntington Bank Stadium.

For Garrett, the win had to be bittersweet. His dream scenario of surpassing the all-time record of 22.5 sacks in 16 games, at home, in a Browns win, was on the table throughout Sunday’s fourth quarter. 

He had to live with being a complementary piece in his team’s most satisfying win in at least two years. And when tracked down by sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson for the postgame walk-off interview, he addressed the sack record in a way Browns fans would expect.

Myles Garrett showed (again) why he’s the ultimate leader Cleveland’s young roster needs

Garrett laughed as Wolfson stated the obvious: Rodgers wanted nothing to do with being Garrett’s record-setting sack victim. 

The reaction was genuine from the face of Cleveland’s franchise, who throughout another losing season has urged his young teammates to keep fighting for a greater purpose.

“It’s about heart. It’s how you measure a man through trials and tribulations. It’s about who you are, standing alongside your brothers, for your family, for your friends. You’ve got to be yourself all the time. You can’t drop to the level of your circumstances. Be yourself.”

That message should be palpable in Cleveland’s locker room. Now nearing the end of one of the most dominant seasons from a defensive player in NFL history, Garrett was limited to just one tackle and one QB hit for the second consecutive week.

The only difference? The Browns won this time, snapping a frustrating four-game losing streak.

If there was any disappointment over not getting to Rodgers for the home fans on Sunday, Garrett didn’t let it show on the field.

“There’s a lot of respect for him, and them, over there,” Garrett said of Rodgers and the Steelers. “I knew they were going to throw everything at me to keep me from getting one on the board, and credit to them. They didn’t allow me to have one, but we’ll take the win, absolutely.”

Browns fans may have a hard time celebrating this one. Sunday’s win could drop them outside of the top-five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, depending on how Week 18 shakes out.

But their young, injury-depleted team has played some inspired football in recent weeks, and to steal one from Garrett — building a winning culture is more important than anything right now.