On Monday, a long-frustrated Myles Garrett, one of the best and most dominant players in the NFL today, let everyone know that he officially requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns.
“While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent,” wrote Garrett. “With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”
While it wasn’t a shock that Garrett is frustrated, it was shocking to see him go public with the demand.
Since arriving in the league in 2017 as the number one overall pick by the Browns, the Texas A&M star has become one of the best defensive players in the league.
Before turning 29 this past December, he became the fastest player in NFL history to 100 sacks. In his eight years in the league, he’s had double-digit sacks in seven of those years, the only year coming in below that number being his rookie season when he had 7.
Unfortunately, the Browns have done nothing but waste his talent as they’ve failed to amass meaningful wins. During his tenure with the team, Cleveland has only two winning seasons- 2020 (11-5) and 2023 (11-6).
So Garrett’s frustration is both real and justified.
On Wednesday, the 6x Pro Bowler went on The Rich Eisen Show to discuss his situation and express his feelings.
“I felt it was time,” Garrett said. “I had taken my time after the season to relax, decompress emotionally. Wanted to distance myself a little bit. And I spent a little time talking to my family about really how we feel about this decision. I had felt this way, I wanted to make sure I was completely detached and they felt the same way I did. I feel like everyone was on the same page.”
This past season, the Browns finished 3-14, a dismal record that also included six straight losses to end the season.
Deciding to vent publically wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment choice. He told Eisen that he spoke with his family, agents and a famous Ohioan named LeBron James, before deciding to make the trade request.
“What a transition looked like for him,” he said about what he wanted to get from speaking with LeBron. “What was his thought process going into it before he left Cleveland. And just making sure I made a logical decision, taking my time. Trying to take away the pressure of something like that. Cleveland — really that area, northeast Ohio — was his home. It feels like my home as well.”
Garrett said he loved the city and its fans, but his goal was always about winning a Super Bowl, not about individual accolades like the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Award, something he stated in his announcement about the trade request.
“While I loved calling this city home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl,” he wrote.
He reiterated that sentiment on Eisen’s show.
“It’s never been about the Hall of Fame for me,” he said. “It’s not about money or records. You’re remembered for winning. Bringing a trophy back home to your city — whichever city that is — that’s how you’re remembered in your community, by your peers, your teammates, by friends, all that. We want to play the game, but we want to do things to be remembered.”
The Browns have said that they’re not interested in trading the 4x All-Pro player. But with salary cap issues, the upcoming draft and a 3-14 team, someone might offer them a deal too sweet to pass up.
