As Myles Garrett walked back towards the sideline after sacking QB Joe Burrow in Week 18 and officially breaking the NFL single-season sack record, his teammates surrounded him and hoisted him up in the air in celebration.
They carried him to the sideline, and Garrett raised his arm and pointed upward in commemoration of his accomplishment.
Breaking the NFL single-season sack record was not only a career milestone for Garrett, but also a monumental moment that will live on Browns' history and one that defines Garrett's time in Cleveland.
Now, the chapter of Garrett's NFL career with the Browns has come to a close. On June 1, the Browns traded Garrett to the Rams in exchange for DE Jared Verse, a 2027 1st round pick, a 2028 2nd round pick and a 2029 3rd round pick.
"Myles Garrett has been the best player on our team and one of the best defensive players in the history of the game, since we drafted him in 2017," Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. "His legacy is immense and we could never adequately articulate our appreciation for how he played the game and for being the best player he could be for the Cleveland Browns over the last nine years. He has left a deep imprint on our franchise, with our fans and with the Dawg Pound."
After being drafted as the first overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Browns, Garrett established himself as a foundational piece for Cleveland's defense and the organization. His presence on the edge as an elite pass rusher forced teams to center their gameplan around Garrett. As the years continued, teams utilized double- and triple-teams to try and slow down Garrett from reaching opposing quarterbacks.
Yet, he found a way to make an impact each week. He played in 134 career games and recorded 412 career tackles, 125.5 sacks, 23 forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. Garrett has been named an AP All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl seven times and is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year – a two-time winner after previously earning the award following the 2023 season.
His nine-year career in Cleveland was filled with historic moments – both at the franchise-level and the league-level.
He is the Browns franchise leader in career sacks with 125.5 and set the NFL single-season sack record during the 2025 season with 23 sacks. He became the first player in NFL history since 1982 to record at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons (2020-25) and is the only NFL player to record at least 10 sacks in each of the past eight seasons (2018-25). He also set the record for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30, and is tied for 20th on the NFL all-time sack list.
During his time in Cleveland, Garrett recorded five of the top six highest single-season sack totals in Browns' history, capping off the list with 23 in 2025. He also set a Browns' single-game record with five sacks in Week 8 against the Patriots during the 2025 season, and had three of the top four sack totals in a game.
While his decorated career fills the history books for the Browns, his aspirations for greatness inspired both players and coaches alike, as well as the fanbase – who rallied around Garrett in his pursuit of winning.
That support continued up through the front office as the Browns made the difficult decision to agree to the trade.
"We met with Myles on Saturday and told him we are extremely grateful for all that he contributed to our team and to our community and that he will always be a Cleveland Brown," Dee and Jimmy Haslam continued in their statement. "We look forward to welcoming him back at the appropriate time and wish him and his family only the best."
