DE Myles Garrett (12.15.23)
Did you hear from the league regarding your comments after the game?
“Ask the league.”
They said ask you.
“No, they didn’t. They would never.”
You obviously didn’t take back anything you said.
“Absolutely not.”
Did you feel like you had to get it off your chest? Was it just time?
“It was. It was something that’s been stoked for a while last couple of weeks and other rushers have been also dealing with the same thing. I can only speak for myself, but once you got like a whole position kind of fed up with how they’re being treated. That’s when you know something is kind of off.”
What you said has an impact on the officiating. You’re worried that it could have the opposite.
“It is what it is. Right now I’m not getting any calls, so it can’t get much worse than that. I’m not trying to offend anybody. I just want them to do their to the best of their ability. Same here.”
Myles, did you say you got fined by the NFL for your comments?
“I don’t know. You have to ask the NFL.”
Myles, Jim (Schwartz) was talking as you were saying about that last drive. He’s never seen you rush as hard as you seem, like you were rushing that drive. Can you just talk about that drive and everything last week?
“I finally got into a rhythm where it was like, I can pick up some speed, I can go. And despite a couple of chips every now and then, it felt like I could finally do what I wanted to. Also, kind of frustrated with what was going on so that added a lil extra boost. Make a play to end the game. It was a little bit late but.”
Myles, Maurice (Hurst) getting hurt, Ogbo’s (Okoronkwo) hurt. Just how big of a loss is that? Not only just for you guys collectively as a defensive unit, but what they do to help you?
“It’s a loss like you said in more ways than one. Good men. Good people, good leaders as well. Great teammates in their time, look forward to coming back and being around. Their presence won’t go unnoticed. Those guys are dynamic. They’ll make this a big place for us. We’ll just have to step up in other ways. Guys like myself, Z (Za’Darius Smith), Jordan (Elliott), Dalvin (Tomlinson), all these guys have to step up and try to elevate ourselves to a place where they were going.”
What did Ogbo (Okornkwo) bring to you guys? You know, we just see him. He’s so energetic and boisterous. He’s got a great personality. What he brings to the room and to the field?
“Positive atmosphere every time you’re around him. Whenever you see him, Ogbo’s smiling. He’s always happy, optimistic and that kind of thing. That can’t just disappear that he’s gone. We’ve got to continue to carry that energy, that passion and fire. We have to keep those attributes going for ourselves.”
Seems like in the last couple of weeks, it’s gone from more than the tight ends chipping you to almost staying in on passing plays to block you. Is that kind of new? Pittsburgh has kind of done that at times.
“Pittsburgh, Jets, Titans. It’s not exactly new, just more often. Hell, the Broncos. The Rams a little bit. It’s that, it’s the slide so that even if I leave the tight end, I can’t really go get inside the tackle. I have to run the long way. More power. They’re trying to make me get creative out there. But it’s not just me out there. We got a bunch of guys in the big plays. We’re going to play off of each other. My guys going to hit his matchup and I can make him right and find a way to close any gaps, I’ll do that. But that’s just an opportunity for us to be great.”
The NFL, the way they officially, when a guy gets double-teamed, they kind of move their eyes away from there. How aggravating is that?
“I still remember a ref not naming any names or the game, but I remember I was fighting through a double team and I might have had a little necktie around me a little bit, but I was still able to get to the quarterback, got it off and I looked to the ref and he said I wanted to call it but it seemed like you were fighting through it. I don’t know what that means. I didn’t know it stopped being a penalty then, but yeah, they treat it a little bit differently when it’s a double team. But it all contributes.”
How about Justin Fields. You had four and a half sacks on Justin. How has he evolved since then and what are you seeing Justin now?
“I mean, him and that entire offense have evolved. His timing, his pocket presence, figuring out when he needs to run with pass and looking at his knees and he doesn’t see it, he’ll use his legs. Last time we played, he was trying to stand the pocket and trying to deliver passes. I don’t think he really had the timing down. That internal clock was going, played some good rushes on the other side. And now he kind of has that feel was like, all right, not here, there.”
How tough does he look? It’s been a while. It looks like he’s really hard to work out. Does it feel like that’s an extra kind of dimension of his game?
“I mean, he’s always been like that. He’s strong. He reminds me, personally, like athletically, like Jalen Hurts. He’ll be difficult to take down, but best way to take someone down the easy way, is to take the ball from them.”
Has something changed for them offensively? Like you went through your study and evaluation and then this week. They’ve gone 3-4. They seem to be coming together a little bit. Did they change something here recently that you guys have to be cognizant of?
“They’re taking the ball away at a higher clip. Take care of the ball. He’s been doing a great job keeping guys off balance with a good, hard count. Running attack has been working for them. Not allowing them to drop back in situations like second and longs, third and longs. Keeping them at a manageable distance. Nothing too difficult or complicated.”
How hungry are you to break up that three-game sack streak? And how much do you think a sack on a two-point pass should count as a sack?
“It counted when it counts. I don’t understand why it doesn’t seeing as the points count, but the points don’t count. Apparently, everything else that happens on play just disappears, it is what it is. As far as the streak, it is what it is. We won last game, had a positive effect, was disruptive. And all across the field, they played well. DT (Dalvin Tomlinson) played well. Z (Za’Darius Smith) got a sack. I mean, stuff like that. That makes me happier than getting my own personal status. I want to see my team thrive, my defense thrive. If I can get mine on the way that’s just the cherry on top.”
Myles, Kevin (Stefanski) said that you said last week that Kevin was coaching his ass off. I can imagine that means that he’s like yelling more and more in your face. What does he do, when you say Kevin is coaching his ass off?
“As far as just taking a different kind of role, knowing that I got to trust my guys and their decision-making kind of put it a little bit in our hands, but encouraging us to be the best we can be. That sounds like something a coach should and always does. But it hits a little bit different when backs against the wall in a third and short situation. Should we go for it? He comes to his guys, he’s like, ‘Y’all want to do this?’ He takes our lead and takes our opinion into matter. He comes to us on defense. He asks what we’re thinking, what kind of rushes are working, how to keep you open, stuff like that. He’s really been a real advocate for us. Stuff like that goes a long way.”
Is that a little different from how it’s always been?
“He’s always been for us. But I feel like just like we elevate to another level. Coaches can too.”
What’s it mean to be in the hunt right now, control your own destiny and play meaningful football during this time?
“It’s just nice playing meaningful football this time of year. A 9-5 sounds nice.”
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