The Cleveland Browns had a chance to upset the Buffalo Bills on Sunday but came up just short, losing 23-20.
That loss dropped the franchise to 3-12 on the season, the latest in a series of disappointing years for the Browns.
One bright spot on the season has been star pass rusher Myles Garrett’s chase of the NFL single-season sack record. After garnering half a sack on Sunday, Garrett is one sack away from breaking the record, and he has two games left to do it in.
The season almost played out very differently for him, however, as Garrett requested a trade before the year started. He eventually signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension and is now under contract with Cleveland through 2030.
After the game, Garrett was asked about how all of that, the trade demand, the contract extension, and other ongoing issues, make him feel now that the team is struggling through another 3-12 season.
“When you went through that trade request, you said you didn’t care about records, the Hall of Fame, all of that stuff. You just wanted to win,” asked the reporter. “So, with two games to go, and you guys are 3-12, what’s that been like for you?”
Garrett took a moment, closed his eyes, took a breath, and simply responded, “Next question.”
Honestly, it was a good question. Garrett committed himself to the Browns for the long term, and as he gets older, his legacy will be defined in part by how well the team performs. By all accounts, Cleveland remains years away from being competitive, so how does he feel about that, given what he wants for himself? And he said in his initial trade request, “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.”
Also, of course, you can understand why Garrett wouldn’t want to answer the question.
Playing for the Cleveland Browns invariably means questions like these will never go away. Perhaps Garrett will get around to answering them one of these days.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.