Myles Garrett culminated his historic 2025 season with the highest accolade.
Garrett was unanimously named Thursday the AP Defensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors. It is the second time in his career that he has won the award, following his third consecutive nomination as a finalist.
"(Garrett is) the most dominant defensive lineman I've ever coached," defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire said. "A competitive leader. A guy that can literally do whatever he wants out there. He started the year with a purpose, and winning this (is) the ultimate culmination of all the hard work that he's put in since the offseason, preseason and regular season. Even though the year didn't end the way we wanted it to, obviously, he never wavered. He never showed any signs of slowing down, and he just kept one singular focus on 'I'm going to do my job to try and help this team win.'"
Garrett made history throughout the season, crowning his ninth NFL season with setting the NFL single-season sack record in Week 18 with his 23rd sack. He also broke the Browns single-season sack record that he set in 2021 and tied in 2022.
He broke other records throughout the 2025 season as well, as Garrett became the first player since 1982 to record 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons when he recorded his 12th sack in Week 11. He set the record for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30, surpassing Reggie White. He is also the first player in NFL history to record at least 14 sacks in four consecutive seasons.
"There are no words to describe when you go on a journey with a young man. I mean, that's what football is about," Cesaire said. "He won on just the most normal call that we have and of course, he did it his fashion with probably the fastest get off I've ever seen in my whole entire life. it was awesome. It was completely awesome. Nobody knows it, but Jim (Schwartz) had told us to hoist him up. So, I just grabbed his tree trunk leg, put it on top of my shoulder and lifted him up. And it was just such a great feeling just to see his teammates and just everybody rush him. And so, I'm happy for him."
Garrett had three games during the 2025 season with at least three sacks, with his best game of the season against the Patriots in Week 8 with five sacks. He not only set a season-high with five sacks, but also broke his own Browns' record for the most sacks in a game.
Garrett's five sacks in Week 8 were also the most sacks by an NFL player in a game this season. He recorded at least a half of a sack in nine straight games, the longest streak of his career, and 12 total games.
In addition to his 23 sacks, Garrett led the league with 33 tackles for loss during the regular season – setting a career high in tackles for loss. His 33 tackles for loss are also the second-most by a player in a single season since 2000, trailing only J.J. Watt who totaled 39 tackles for loss in 2012. Garrett added 60 tackles and 39 quarterback hits, as well as one pass defensed and three forced fumbles.
His individual accomplishments led to overall success for the Browns' defense during the 2025 season. Cleveland allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game, giving up just 167.2 yards per game, as well as the fourth-fewest total yards allowed per game at 283.6. The Browns had the third-most team sacks in 2025 with 53 total sacks – the most by a Browns team in a season – and ranked first in tackles for loss with a total of 117.
"To be on the field and watch it and see it and for him to do the things he does at his size against a great Hall of Fame player, of course you're in awe, 100 percent," safeties coach Ephraim Banda said in December 2025. "Just the situations, you just can't believe what you see. And we'll watch it in the safety room and replay it like 10, 15 times. […] It's truly special. It's God-given. He does a great job. And also, I'll say about Myles, man, you want to talk about a guy who's came in here and worked hard from day one, he's done that and he's reaping the benefits from that."
Garrett earned a number of accolades following the 2025 season in recognition of his performance on the field. He was voted the PFWA 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, as well as named to the PFWA All-NFL team and All-AFC Team. He was voted the Sporting News' Defensive Player of the Year, as well as AP First Team All-Pro honors for the fifth time in his nine-year career.
As Cesaire reflected on the season Garrett produced on the field and his achievements as a player, he also looked toward the future – sharing how he encouraged Garrett to make the NFL single-season sack record unbreakable as well as set the new single-game record.
"Me and him talk about the Japanese culture, and I said, 'This is the way – Samurais sharpen their sword with precision.' And he does just that," Cesaire said. "He is very, very meticulous and intentional with the way he trains and gets ready for a full season. And my hope one day is that he leads us to a playoff victory, deep into a playoff run. So, everybody in the world can see just what type of a great player he truly is."
DE Myles Garrett was officially named the AP Defensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors. It is the second time in his career he has won Defensive Player of the Year after being nominated as a finalist for three consecutive seasons and winning in 2023. Garrett's 2025 season was historic, as he broke the NFL single-season sack record with 23 sacks, and led the NFL in tackles for loss.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on September 7, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 16-17.
The fans during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on December 28, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns won 13-6.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on September 7, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 16-17.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on September 7, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 16-17.
Defensive end Cameron Thomas (99) and Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens on September 14, 2025 at M&T Bank Stadium. The Browns lost 17-41.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns on September 21, 2025 at Huntington Bank Stadium. The Browns won 13-10.
Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) and Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns on September 21, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns won 13-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions on September 28, 2025 at Ford Field. The Browns lost 10-34.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions on September 28, 2025 at Ford Field. The Browns lost 10-34.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers on October 12, 2025 at Acrisure Stadium. The Browns lost 9-23.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots on October 26, 2025 at Gillette Stadium. The Browns lost 13-32.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots on October 26, 2025 at Gillette Stadium. The Browns lost 13-32.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets on November 9, 2025 at MetLife Stadium. The Browns lost 20-27.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets on November 9, 2025 at MetLife Stadium. The Browns lost 20-27.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on November 16, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 16-23.l
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns on November 16, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 16-23.l
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders on November 23, 2025 at Allegiant Stadium. The Browns won 24-10.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns on November 30, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 8-26.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns on November 30, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 8-26.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns on November 30, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 8-26.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns on December 7, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 29-31.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears on December 14, 2025 at Soldier Field. The Browns lost 3-31.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears on December 14, 2025 at Soldier Field. The Browns lost 3-31.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears on December 14, 2025 at Soldier Field. The Browns lost 3-31.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns on December 21, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns lost 20-23.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on December 28, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns won 13-6.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on December 28, 2025 at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns won 13-6.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on January 4, 2026 at Paycor Stadium. The Browns won 20-18.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on January 4, 2026 at Paycor Stadium. The Browns won 20-18.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and the defense during a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on January 4, 2026 at Paycor Stadium. The Browns won 20-18.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) after a NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals on January 4, 2026 at Paycor Stadium. The Browns won 20-18.
