Team Coverage

Presented by

Myles Garrett reflects on breaking the NFL single-season sack record and his pursuit of history

Garrett totaled 23 sacks during the 2025 season to set a new NFL record

Jan 04, 2026 at 08:02 PM

Kelsey Russo

Associate Editor & Staff Writer

DE Myles Garrett had a dream Saturday night that he didn't break the single-season sack record.

But when he woke up from the dream, Garrett knew he had to "deny fate," never losing confidence in his preparation and ability to break the record. Heading into Week 18 and sitting at 22 sacks on the season, he knew he had one final game to tally at least one sack and set the record.

So, Garrett woke up around 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning to prepare for the final game of the 2025 season, and one final chance to break the NFL single-season sack record. He had breakfast with his physical therapist Jon Lee.

"I was like, 'Let's eat and let's talk. We've got to talk through this and just prepare early, cause there's no way we're going to allow anything in the way of history,'" Garrett recalled.

As Garrett took the field on each defensive snap, he inched closer to his moment. Just as his pursuit of history over the course of the season had its challenges, so did reaching the final sack. Garrett said his teammates looked for ways to free him up, get the chip blocks and double-teams off of him to reach Burrow. He recorded two quarterback hits on QB Joe Burrow as well during the game.

Then with about five minutes left in the game, Garrett curled around and broke past OL Orlando Brown Jr. to wrap his arms around Burrow to bring him down for the sack. With the sack, Garrett officially broke the NFL single-season sack record with 23 sacks.

"It was everything I expected," Garrett said following the Browns' 20-18 win over the Bengals. "It was so tough. I knew they were going to make it difficult, but shoot, I don't think I saw more than three singles (matchups) on a real drop back the whole game. And I knew if I did, I'd have to make that moment count. And the feeling couldn't be better."

Garrett described the sack as a "stereotypical sack" for himself, getting off the block to chop and get right into the dip. He said he had watched the clock and knew what to expect the next time Burrow gave a count.

"I was just watching the ball as quick as I could and they had a couple other tells that gave me the snap count," Garrett said. "So, as soon as I saw that, it aligned. It's probably the best get off I've ever had, trying to get that sack, and the rest is history."

As Garrett stood up following the sack, he raised his arms in the air in acknowledgment, then bowed his head as his teammates surrounded him to congratulate him. In the stands, his parents, Audrey and Lawrence Garrett, embraced at the historic moment for their son. Garrett ran towards the sideline and was surrounded by more teammates and coaches to celebrate and congratulate him for his feat, with TE David Njoku placing an imaginary crown on his head and others hoisting Garrett up in the air on their shoulders.

"It was special. I've given everything to them," Garret said. "They give their very best every day and I'm so grateful, so I'm glad to have them as teammates. Like I said, it's a privilege to be with these guys, to go to work with these guys, to bleed, to sweat and to the cry for these guys. I couldn't imagine doing it with a better group of men. (They are) always coming in with a great attitude, working hard and coming with a smile on their faces, and they never get too high, never too low. I'm so proud of this group."

1 / 26

2 / 26

1.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow (9)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

3 / 26

2.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow (9)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

4 / 26

2.5 - Defensive end Cameron Thomas (99) and Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sack Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson (8)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

5 / 26

3.5 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson (8)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

6 / 26

4.0 - Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) and Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sack Packers Quarterback Jordan Love (10)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

7 / 26

5.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

8 / 26

6.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye (10)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

9 / 26

7.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye (10)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

10 / 26

8.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye (10)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

11 / 26

9.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye (10) (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

12 / 26

10.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye (10)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

13 / 26

11.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Jets Quarterback Justin Fields (7)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

14 / 26

12.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson (8)

Ric Kruszynski/Cleveland Browns

15 / 26

13.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson (8)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

16 / 26

14.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson (8)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

17 / 26

15.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson (8)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

18 / 26

16.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Raiders Quarterback Geno Smith (7)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

19 / 26

17.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Raiders Quarterback Geno Smith (7)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

20 / 26

18.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Raiders Quarterback Geno Smith (7)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

21 / 26

19.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks 49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy (13)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

22 / 26

20.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Titans Quarterback Cam Ward (1)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

23 / 26

21.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams (18)

Matt Starkey/Cleveland Browns

24 / 26

21.5 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) sack Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams (18)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

25 / 26

22.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and Defensive end Alex Wright (91) sack Bills Quarterback John Allen (17)

Brent Durken/Cleveland Browns

26 / 26

23.0 - Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow (9)

Kennedy Rodriguez/Cleveland Browns

Advertising

This Ad will close in 3

Garrett capped off the 2025 season with this historic milestone and added to the other accolades he earned along the way. He also broke the Browns single-season sack record that he set in 2021 and tied in 2022. He became the first player since 1982 to record 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons when he recorded his 12th sack of the season in Week 11, as well set the record for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30.

Garrett had three games this season with at least three sacks, with his best game of the season against the Patriots in Week 8 with five sacks. His five sacks in Week 8 not only set a season-high, but also broke his own Browns' record for the most sacks in a game. Garrett recorded at least a half of a sack in nine straight games, the longest streak of his career.

"For Myles to get it the way he got it in a really meaningful moment of the game, and it came in a win," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "That's history. He's the sack king. That's unbelievable. They have been playing this game for a long time, and for him to go get that in the circumstances with the degree of difficulty in which he got it this season is unbelievable. He's the Defensive Player of the Year. You could make him the MVP if I had a vote. And I think the reaction of his teammates is genuine. That's real. These guys care about each other."

As Garrett jogged off the field following the game, he made his way towards the stands and found his mother. The two embraced, sharing a moment and soaking in the historic feat he accomplished in Week 18.

"It means a lot that they could be here," Garrett said. "I wanted to do it for myself, but I wanted so much to bring pride to my last name — my dad, my mom and all those who came before me. Especially my (grandmother), who hasn't been here for a while to see this, but I carry into the game every single time I walk onto the field. That's the kind of pride I have when I walk onto the field, whether it's practice, whether it's games. I'm just knowing and grateful of who came before me, who made this possible. And it's a privilege that I'm even here, not only playing the game with the Browns, but even doing this in general. This could have been a whole lot different — me playing with the Cavs (Cavaliers), if things were a little bit different. But I'm grateful that they helped keep me on the straight and keep me on the right path, and now we're here."