Myles Garrett, the impact defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, is on a record-setting pace this NFL season. As a result, he earned the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. His incredible performance on the pitch has dominated headlines all year. Garrett has been unstoppable lately, with 14 sacks in his past five games. He has established a new standard for sack records since the stat became an official NFL statistic in 1982. He’s on track to record a ridiculous 27 sacks. This astounding accomplishment would break NFL’s all-time record of 22.5 sacks, which is shared by both Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.
Garrett’s rare talent to generate pressure is on display once again. It was his 94th career game with at least five pressures, breaking a tie with T.J. Watt for the second-most in the pressure stat’s history since ESPN began tracking it in 2006. Additionally, he has become the first player in NFL history to achieve at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons, breaking a tie with the legendary Lawrence Taylor. As the season progresses, fans and analysts alike are closely monitoring whether Garrett will be able to etch his name into the record books.
Record-Setting Performances
In a season replete with surprises, Garrett’s last two outings have stood out even among the bizarre. He came into the Browns’ bye week tied with Brian Burns for the most sacks in the entire NFL. At that time, he was the league’s leader with a high 10 sacks. Since then, his performance has only intensified. He has recorded five sacks in a single game, marking not only a personal career high but a record for the Browns franchise.
Garrett’s talent to control the game from the defensive side of the ball is reflected by the numbers. In just his second game back, he helped produce a career-high three sacks against the Raiders. This performance broke his own Browns franchise record, cumulatively highlighting his insane effect on the game. Now, he’s garnered 18 sacks this season. That amount is more than the total sacks of three full teams—Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, and San Francisco 49ers.
“At the end of the day, offenses’ sole game plan for the most part is how to stop 95.” – Myles Garrett
Garrett’s record-breaking journey has, of course, not been without big storylines leading up to major personal matchups. We all witnessed his masterwork against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. With a pair of sacks in this game, he now has 11 sacks against Burrow across their face-offs—an incredibly dominant statistic. Garrett is unexpectedly still high floor, best player in class. His talents are unmistakable—and perhaps best showcased when he gets the test of some of the league’s best quarterbacks.
The Road Ahead
As Garrett keeps piling on the sack totals, he is only five away from possession of breaking the all-time single-season sack record. This achievement is possible and it’s becoming more likely the further he continues his path of quarterback destruction. He is motivated by an equally fierce desire to be accountable to his team. Though he tries to break his own records, he focuses on making sure all this record breaking contributes to team wins.
“I won’t try to delay [breaking the record], but I want it to come in a win.” – Myles Garrett
That desire comes from a strong motivation from Garrett himself, who after his last two races imposed some heavy self-reflection. He admits that though he is thrilled with everything he’s achieved, he’s still most concerned about what his team has achieved.
“The last four games, I don’t even think about it. I’m just thinking about the next one now, how we can put it all together and do it again.” – Myles Garrett
His warrior mentality is contagious, inspiring his teammates and captivating fans as they all band together with Ware during this run for the ages.
Legacy and Impact
Garrett’s immediate impact on the field isn’t limited to personal records. He is slowly but surely redefining what defensive excellence looks like in the NFL. He recently overtook fellow Hall of Famer Reggie White for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30 since 1982. That remarkable accomplishment cements his legacy as one of the most elite defensive players in league history.
This season has revealed not only his physical prowess as much as his leadership on and off the field. Not only does he break records, he rewrites the standard for what elite defensive performance looks like. This serves as motivation to the younger players and breeds a winning attitude in the Browns locker room.
Garrett’s intense work ethic and desire to get better are foundational pieces of key to his success. Each week, fans of every team look forward to the next game with even more intensity. They question whether he can maintain his current pace and break the all-time, single-season, sack record.
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