DE Myles Garrett (3.14.25)

A month ago, you requested a trade from the team. You said you wanted to go to a contender. A month later, you’re standing here with a new extension. What changed?

“Just having constant communication with the team, with AB (Andrew Berry), management in general, talking about the plans and the future of this team and how we can turn this around and turn Cleveland into a winner as soon as possible.”

 

Those conversations between what you had immediately after the season and the most recent conversation. Did the plan change or was it just kind of reinforced as those conversations went on? 

“I would say it became more reinforced and developed as time went on. You know, just a little more time for the season, seeing how things developed and progressed with each team making moves and the Combine and the draft coming up, a lot of dominoes just started to fall, and things just started falling in place.”

 

You took such a hard line stance on the fact that you wanted to be somewhere else to go win that Super Bowl, and it looked like a lot of fans kind of had a problem with that. Do you feel like you need to sort of do more or make amends or somehow flip this script after all of that?

“No. I mean, from day one, I’ve always said that I’ve wanted to bring a championship to Northeast Ohio, so that doesn’t change my stance. And I’m just going to continue to turn those opinions around or reinforce those opinions by going out and doing what I’ve always done, going out to make plays, being a great teammate, great leader, and being the best person I could be on this field and off the field for the Cleveland Browns.”

 

Myles, do you think this new contract changes your responsibility inside these walls or your influence inside these walls?

“Not in my mind. I’ll continue to be the person that I have been, and I think just being that constant leader, I don’t think you can put a dollar sign on that at any time. Leaders come from guys who are undrafted to guys who are the highest paid. It doesn’t take a playmaker to be a leader, nor does it take, like I said, a dollar sign. So continue to learn to be more and more of leader every year and every day.”

 

Can you go a little deeper on why you think now this team is close to contending?

“Well, I mean, we’ll continue to see that as the days go by and continue to make moves and changes and with the picks we have in the draft, and you continue to see us add more and more weapons to this team and see how we continue to mesh and grow.”

 

Do you regret the fact that you went public with the trade request?

“No. I think I had some frustration, and I feel like that helped us grow and have conversations that were difficult but needed to be had and that created a little bit more discourse, helped build some relationships and reaffirm them. And now I feel like we’re in a better place and now we can move on and grow from there.”

 

I know with coming back, you mentioned or you want to, it seems like, help recruit free agents and do all those things in the offseason, but was there any concern with the trade request going public and other things that might scare some people off of wanting to come here or anything like that?

“Well, I’m here, so I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, and I’m willing to help however I can to get the right pieces here to make the changes we need to win games and to go deep in the playoffs and win a championship.”

 

If you have any thoughts about how you did the whole radio row thing, “I want to be out. I don’t think that this team could win”…Now you’re back and how that impacts the fans and how they view you?

“Like I said, I mean, that media row run, that created more discourse between myself and management. That created conversation between myself and AB, Jimmy (Haslam) and up and down the chain and that kind of stuff became a main variable for this deal getting done, these conversations down the road. So I think the fans will see that my heart’s in the right place. It’s never been about money. It’s always been about winning. And that’s where my frustration lies. And I want to thank Nicole (Lynn) because she’s the best agent in the world. And I didn’t have any input on how the deal was going to look, but I just knew that when the time came and we all know we’re on the same page, know that she went on and did what she does and got the best deal possible for myself and for the Browns.”

 

Any second thoughts, kind of how you handled all that going through, the being so public? “I want out”, this and that. It’s not about money. In the end, you ended up getting a lot of money.

“I mean, that’s what she’s supposed to do as an agent. She’s supposed to give me the best deal possible, and that’s what she did. So I don’t regret it. I mean, I feel like I went out and earned it by playing the best brand of ball that I know possible. And she went on and asked and they delivered and I plan to deliver week in and week out during the season. And I think that’s just how that kind of give and take goes.”

 

As it stands, the quarterback situation is still a little unsettled. I mean, that was one of the things that you expressed concern about. How much faith do you have in the front office to figure that out and what are your thoughts on the team potentially taking a quarterback at two. Would you like to see that?

“Well, I mean, just leaning on AB and his expertise and knowing that he has a plan on what this team and this offense will look like going forward and he’s going to put the best offense possible out there. He’s going to get a QB that we all continue to have faith in and we’re going to go out and do our thing on defense.”

 

Myles, at various points throughout your career, you’ve had turning points, some adversity, and each time along the way, you’ve elevated your game, grown from it, taken it up a notch. I’m just wondering, will this ordeal and the way that the Browns have rewarded you with this huge contract, do you think there will be another jump in leadership, on the field performance and just everything else that you bring to the table?

“I mean, that’s my expectation every year. So I don’t think the turning points have as much to do about it as continuing to meet with more people who have helped me along with my journey, my growth, physically and mentally, and this is an exceptional part of the journey. I’m glad to still be here, but I plan to make a jump because that’s just what I do.”

 

You said again, that it’s not about the money. You just said again, but it looks like the whole thing was a long game for you to get more money. So how do you tell fans, no, that’s not it.

“I don’t tell fans anything. I go out there and prove it. If it’s about the money, then I can just pack it in and not go out there and give my best effort. But I plan to be the best person possible in this locker room, be the best leader possible, as well as dominating on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. So that kind of mindset remaining and being displayed on those days when everyone’s watching, that really shows you what it’s all about. Going out and giving everything for those kind of wins and what I’ve done year in, year out, that really proves it to the fans. No amount of words will.”

 

When did you become realigned with the organization? At what point did you know that you were going to be back?

“I mean, I can’t put a specific point of conversation on it. Just continued to talk. Talk through things with my team, through AB, through Nicole, and just continue to give me more confidence in what we’re building here. When all sides were really aligned with what we have going on. That’s when I was ready to make the decision.”

 

Did they reveal at all their intentions with the second pick, and did that impact your decision at all? 

“Next question.”

 

You said the goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, but to compete and win a Super Bowl. Do you see yourself now finishing your career here as Brown?

“That’s always been my plan from the very beginning, I’ve wanted to stay with the team that I was drafted with. And I’ve always, like I said before, I wanted to bring a championship here. So that’s something that’s meant a lot to me. Even when I was coming from high school to college, being that one team guy and having a place that feels like home, you ingrain yourself in the community. And the Canton part sounds great. Players want to be in the Hall of Fame. That’s a tremendous individual reward. But communities and cities remember championships, and that’s what I want to do.”

 

Jimmy not taking the meeting with you, was there a connection between that and the fact that this happened so soon after that? I mean, was that them showing you that, you know, we’re locking arms here and we want to keep you here, we are absolutely not trading you, or was there no connection between that and the end result?

“I mean, I’m gonna say that just the conversation opened up for me and AB to talk more, and Jimmy took a bit of a back seat leaning on AB and our relationship, and I think that’s for the better. You want to have a good relationship with your owner as well as your GM. And him and I have had many discussions and conversations over the years, and he helped me see what the future can really hold for us.”

 

You’ve talked so much about the desire to win a Super Bowl, contend for a Super Bowl. Do you think this team can do that? And then how will you handle it if there’s struggles and it doesn’t look like that’s a possibility?

“If there’s struggles, we go through it. We’ve went through struggles in the past, and as long as we’re set on that being the goal, that’s everyone’s main focus, which has been shown that it is. Well, then I continue to try to find a way to get the most out of myself and my teammates and out of this organization. Because a deal like this isn’t just for me to be a player on the field. It’s for me to be, you know, a main focal point, it’s for me to be an elevator to everyone in this building.”

 

In your original trade request, you talked about how much the city of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio meant to you. How difficult was that in the decision making process? Thinking about that you’ve called this home for so long and then how much did that weigh into a desire to come back after these conversations?

“I mean, I feel like it gets pushed to the side a little bit, the difficulty of making a decision like that. And it doesn’t make it ever any easier with the record that we had, that kind of decision. So at that moment, making a trade request came heavy heartedly because this is a place that I love, that’s grown to be my family. An organization that’s grown to be and feel like family. So when I said it, I don’t regret what I said, but it did hurt because this has felt like a community. They have received me with open arms from day one and I’ve given everything. I wanted to make my voice heard loud and clear and fortunately enough it was. And just like family, sometimes you fight and you have to go through things, you have to build through adversity and we’ll get through this and we’ll come out right on the other side.”

 

In that Hard Knocks clip of you, and I think the last episode you had that line about you think that you guys are closer than a lot of people may think, despite 3-14. Now what gives you that confidence? Can you elaborate on that a little bit?

“I don’t want to go that into detail. Like I said earlier, leaning on the expertise of AB to put the right pieces in place. But I do understand what he’s building and we’ve had multiple conversations about that and I just know that I’m going to do my part to get everyone in line and on board with that goal and that message.”

 

Were you here yesterday to recruit the quarterback or did it just happen that way?

“Maybe a little bit of both.”

 

What’s your pitch?

“I won’t take him to the ground three or four times a year.”

 

In your mind, do you need to win a Super bowl here for this to be the right decision for you to sign that extension?

“I think we all play the game to win a Super Bowl. So whether it’s for this dollar amount or any dollar amount, I think that’s what we get into the game for, regardless. So I’m not worried about whether that’s the right decision or not. That’s always been the plan since day one.”

 

After going through this experience and feeling the feeling of what it actually might be like for you not to be here anymore and maybe not to have the Cleveland support or the community that you’ve had over these past eight years, do you feel now that you want to finish your career in Cleveland? And if so, might this be even more meaningful to you than ever before?

“I mean, as I said earlier, I’ve always wanted to end my career here. The team I started with, I wanted to end with. And with the contract now, that’ll likely be how things go for as long as they’ll have me. I’m glad to be here, and I’m glad to have supported Cleveland. And for those who may have taken a step back, like I said, I’ll continue to change their opinions with my play and what I continue to do day in and day out.”

 

Have you had any conversations with your teammates? Because obviously when you say you want to go somewhere to win the Super Bowl, they might think, does he think we’re not good enough? Have you had conversations with them and have you had to explain things to them at all?

“Yeah, I mean, I had conversations with my teammates and, you know, some of the leaders on the team, as well as, you know, my position room. They understand that it’s part of the business and they want to be successful as well. And, you know, it’s always difficult at the end of the season when you underachieve and things don’t go your way. I don’t want it to go understated how much they had an impact on this decision to come back with the things they have to say and the appeal they had towards coming back and doing things over again and just making these minor tweaks that we saw that could make a massive difference.”

 

You talked last, during last year, just how frustrating it was, the most frustrating season of your pro career. Did you need to put a little space between you and that season? Did that help in terms of maybe smooth things over, kind of recalibrate your thoughts about, you know, where this organization is and where your future with this organization is?

“Yeah, I think so. Taking some time away not only from the season, but just for myself, just getting away from football for a bit. It just helps to decompress and come back with a little bit more clear headedness and I think at the end of the day I made the right decision for myself and as well as for the Browns and I’m still happy to come back and play with all of these guys.”

 

What was it about AB and his process did you feel you have a better understanding about maybe compared to end of season?

“I think maybe at the end of the season I wasn’t as level-headed as I want it to be right after with still the emotions of the season still going on. I like to look at things pretty objectively, but as much as you can just coming off a season that most will look at as a disappointment and underachieving and as I continue to take more time and have conversations with him, Nicole and many other parts of the organization as well as my teammates, helped me kind of rest this decision where I am now.”

 

You talked about changing the opinion of any fans that were bothered by the request. Were you bothered by any kind of backlash you might have seen or felt?

“I didn’t particularly look at the backlash. I really don’t care to look at the news or social media like that. So I didn’t see much of the opinions. But you know, if there were any changed or any people that are disheartened by the news, well I look to change their minds.”

 

I talked to Joe Thomas about how this might go and he was pretty vocal about the fact that he thought that you staying here and finishing your career here would probably be just better for you in every way than maybe going and being somewhere for one year or two years and even grabbing a Super Bowl ring somewhere else. Did you ever end up talking to Joe throughout any of this process and if so, was he helpful?

“I believe I texted Joe just a bit early on, just getting his opinion on things and he’s always been a shoulder to lean on for good advice, knowing exactly where I am in this phase of my career and my life and he’s been in this position before. He was just a good leader for myself at a young age soI wanted to hear what he had to say.”

 

You had in your mind everything that was going wrong here, right? And that led to asking for the trade. Now that you’re back on board and you’re committed here, what’s it going to take for this franchise to get going and become a consistent winner year in and year out and what role in that can you play?

“It’s going to take everything and whatever it takes, I’m willing to give. I want to be a winner. I want to bring a championship back to Cleveland. So whether that’s going out and recruiting, whether that’s staying late, that’s mentoring the young guys, just whatever it takes, I’m going to do it all. Because I don’t want to come back here the same way we did after last season. I don’t want that feeling ever again. I want to feel like we’re taking more and more strides to that promised land.”

 

You’ve got that minority stake in the Cavs (Cleveland Cavaliers) for a couple years now. I just wonder, with the new deal, have you considered possibly investing more there at some point and have you talk to Donovan (Mitchell) or Jarrett (Allen) or any of your friends on the team throughout this request?

“I talked to a couple of the guys and wasn’t really thinking about the business aspect of accepting this deal and trying to invest more into minority ownership. I was really focused on doing the best thing that’s for us, my family, for my team and ultimately for the Browns and. And all this other stuff, business endeavors and ordeals can come a bit later.”

 

Is it something you be open to potentially in the future?

“I’ll be open to it in the future.”

 

What have the conversations been like with Jim Schwartz in that process and wanting to get this defense back to where you guys were like in 2023?

“I haven’t talked to Jim. I’ve talked to Jacques (Cesaire) about what we can get out of the D-line. You know, him always saying plays that are right there that we could have made or just things we need to tweak how we can really unleash guys and things that just continue to make me more hopeful and put a smile on my face because he’s just so optimistic. He’s so boisterous and he really wants to get the best out of guys. He’s really a player’s coach and I look forward to helping him develop these young men.”

 

When you realized you weren’t going to be traded, and it sounds like you sort of made the decision, okay, I want to stay here. How did you feel when you say, “Okay, this is where I’m going”, what’s coming next?

“I mean, I was always saw that as a possibility. So staying here, it wasn’t like I had to be roped into it. This is a home and this is my home. So I feel like at the end of the day, we’re going to continue to make the best decision for ourselves and how can we turn this into a winner. And that will show the next conversations and continue to have those, like I said, and continue to make it more and more clear how this could open up sooner rather than later.”

 

Do you feel like Russell Wilson would be a good addition to this team and did you have a good conversation with him yesterday and what’s your role? I know that you wanted to get back in time to be able to help lure some free agents. So how did it go yesterday?

“I think it went well. I mean him and I had a little bit of conversation at the at the Pro Bowl as well as here and I definitely think he’d be a valuable asset as a leader, as a mentor to those young guys. Veteran leadership can’t be understated. And I think he has definitely has some juice left at the position. He’s got plenty of arm left. He’s very smart and he knows what he’s capable of. So he’d be a valuable asset.”

 

 

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A month ago, you requested a trade from the team. You said you wanted to go to a contender. A month later, you’re standing here with a new extension. What changed?

“Just having constant communication with the team, with AB (Andrew Berry), management in general, talking about the plans and the future of this team and how we can turn this around and turn Cleveland into a winner as soon as possible.”

 

Those conversations between what you had immediately after the season and the most recent conversation. Did the plan change or was it just kind of reinforced as those conversations went on? 

“I would say it became more reinforced and developed as time went on. You know, just a little more time for the season, seeing how things developed and progressed with each team making moves and the Combine and the draft coming up, a lot of dominoes just started to fall, and things just started falling in place.”

 

You took such a hard line stance on the fact that you wanted to be somewhere else to go win that Super Bowl, and it looked like a lot of fans kind of had a problem with that. Do you feel like you need to sort of do more or make amends or somehow flip this script after all of that?

“No. I mean, from day one, I’ve always said that I’ve wanted to bring a championship to Northeast Ohio, so that doesn’t change my stance. And I’m just going to continue to turn those opinions around or reinforce those opinions by going out and doing what I’ve always done, going out to make plays, being a great teammate, great leader, and being the best person I could be on this field and off the field for the Cleveland Browns.”

 

Myles, do you think this new contract changes your responsibility inside these walls or your influence inside these walls?

“Not in my mind. I’ll continue to be the person that I have been, and I think just being that constant leader, I don’t think you can put a dollar sign on that at any time. Leaders come from guys who are undrafted to guys who are the highest paid. It doesn’t take a playmaker to be a leader, nor does it take, like I said, a dollar sign. So continue to learn to be more and more of leader every year and every day.”

 

Can you go a little deeper on why you think now this team is close to contending?

“Well, I mean, we’ll continue to see that as the days go by and continue to make moves and changes and with the picks we have in the draft, and you continue to see us add more and more weapons to this team and see how we continue to mesh and grow.”

 

Do you regret the fact that you went public with the trade request?

“No. I think I had some frustration, and I feel like that helped us grow and have conversations that were difficult but needed to be had and that created a little bit more discourse, helped build some relationships and reaffirm them. And now I feel like we’re in a better place and now we can move on and grow from there.”

 

I know with coming back, you mentioned or you want to, it seems like, help recruit free agents and do all those things in the offseason, but was there any concern with the trade request going public and other things that might scare some people off of wanting to come here or anything like that?

“Well, I’m here, so I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, and I’m willing to help however I can to get the right pieces here to make the changes we need to win games and to go deep in the playoffs and win a championship.”

 

If you have any thoughts about how you did the whole radio row thing, “I want to be out. I don’t think that this team could win”…Now you’re back and how that impacts the fans and how they view you?

“Like I said, I mean, that media row run, that created more discourse between myself and management. That created conversation between myself and AB, Jimmy (Haslam) and up and down the chain and that kind of stuff became a main variable for this deal getting done, these conversations down the road. So I think the fans will see that my heart’s in the right place. It’s never been about money. It’s always been about winning. And that’s where my frustration lies. And I want to thank Nicole (Lynn) because she’s the best agent in the world. And I didn’t have any input on how the deal was going to look, but I just knew that when the time came and we all know we’re on the same page, know that she went on and did what she does and got the best deal possible for myself and for the Browns.”

 

Any second thoughts, kind of how you handled all that going through, the being so public? “I want out”, this and that. It’s not about money. In the end, you ended up getting a lot of money.

“I mean, that’s what she’s supposed to do as an agent. She’s supposed to give me the best deal possible, and that’s what she did. So I don’t regret it. I mean, I feel like I went out and earned it by playing the best brand of ball that I know possible. And she went on and asked and they delivered and I plan to deliver week in and week out during the season. And I think that’s just how that kind of give and take goes.”

 

As it stands, the quarterback situation is still a little unsettled. I mean, that was one of the things that you expressed concern about. How much faith do you have in the front office to figure that out and what are your thoughts on the team potentially taking a quarterback at two. Would you like to see that?

“Well, I mean, just leaning on AB and his expertise and knowing that he has a plan on what this team and this offense will look like going forward and he’s going to put the best offense possible out there. He’s going to get a QB that we all continue to have faith in and we’re going to go out and do our thing on defense.”

 

Myles, at various points throughout your career, you’ve had turning points, some adversity, and each time along the way, you’ve elevated your game, grown from it, taken it up a notch. I’m just wondering, will this ordeal and the way that the Browns have rewarded you with this huge contract, do you think there will be another jump in leadership, on the field performance and just everything else that you bring to the table?

“I mean, that’s my expectation every year. So I don’t think the turning points have as much to do about it as continuing to meet with more people who have helped me along with my journey, my growth, physically and mentally, and this is an exceptional part of the journey. I’m glad to still be here, but I plan to make a jump because that’s just what I do.”

 

You said again, that it’s not about the money. You just said again, but it looks like the whole thing was a long game for you to get more money. So how do you tell fans, no, that’s not it.

“I don’t tell fans anything. I go out there and prove it. If it’s about the money, then I can just pack it in and not go out there and give my best effort. But I plan to be the best person possible in this locker room, be the best leader possible, as well as dominating on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. So that kind of mindset remaining and being displayed on those days when everyone’s watching, that really shows you what it’s all about. Going out and giving everything for those kind of wins and what I’ve done year in, year out, that really proves it to the fans. No amount of words will.”

 

When did you become realigned with the organization? At what point did you know that you were going to be back?

“I mean, I can’t put a specific point of conversation on it. Just continued to talk. Talk through things with my team, through AB, through Nicole, and just continue to give me more confidence in what we’re building here. When all sides were really aligned with what we have going on. That’s when I was ready to make the decision.”

 

Did they reveal at all their intentions with the second pick, and did that impact your decision at all? 

“Next question.”

 

You said the goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, but to compete and win a Super Bowl. Do you see yourself now finishing your career here as Brown?

“That’s always been my plan from the very beginning, I’ve wanted to stay with the team that I was drafted with. And I’ve always, like I said before, I wanted to bring a championship here. So that’s something that’s meant a lot to me. Even when I was coming from high school to college, being that one team guy and having a place that feels like home, you ingrain yourself in the community. And the Canton part sounds great. Players want to be in the Hall of Fame. That’s a tremendous individual reward. But communities and cities remember championships, and that’s what I want to do.”

 

Jimmy not taking the meeting with you, was there a connection between that and the fact that this happened so soon after that? I mean, was that them showing you that, you know, we’re locking arms here and we want to keep you here, we are absolutely not trading you, or was there no connection between that and the end result?

“I mean, I’m gonna say that just the conversation opened up for me and AB to talk more, and Jimmy took a bit of a back seat leaning on AB and our relationship, and I think that’s for the better. You want to have a good relationship with your owner as well as your GM. And him and I have had many discussions and conversations over the years, and he helped me see what the future can really hold for us.”

 

You’ve talked so much about the desire to win a Super Bowl, contend for a Super Bowl. Do you think this team can do that? And then how will you handle it if there’s struggles and it doesn’t look like that’s a possibility?

“If there’s struggles, we go through it. We’ve went through struggles in the past, and as long as we’re set on that being the goal, that’s everyone’s main focus, which has been shown that it is. Well, then I continue to try to find a way to get the most out of myself and my teammates and out of this organization. Because a deal like this isn’t just for me to be a player on the field. It’s for me to be, you know, a main focal point, it’s for me to be an elevator to everyone in this building.”

 

In your original trade request, you talked about how much the city of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio meant to you. How difficult was that in the decision making process? Thinking about that you’ve called this home for so long and then how much did that weigh into a desire to come back after these conversations?

“I mean, I feel like it gets pushed to the side a little bit, the difficulty of making a decision like that. And it doesn’t make it ever any easier with the record that we had, that kind of decision. So at that moment, making a trade request came heavy heartedly because this is a place that I love, that’s grown to be my family. An organization that’s grown to be and feel like family. So when I said it, I don’t regret what I said, but it did hurt because this has felt like a community. They have received me with open arms from day one and I’ve given everything. I wanted to make my voice heard loud and clear and fortunately enough it was. And just like family, sometimes you fight and you have to go through things, you have to build through adversity and we’ll get through this and we’ll come out right on the other side.”

 

In that Hard Knocks clip of you, and I think the last episode you had that line about you think that you guys are closer than a lot of people may think, despite 3-14. Now what gives you that confidence? Can you elaborate on that a little bit?

“I don’t want to go that into detail. Like I said earlier, leaning on the expertise of AB to put the right pieces in place. But I do understand what he’s building and we’ve had multiple conversations about that and I just know that I’m going to do my part to get everyone in line and on board with that goal and that message.”

 

Were you here yesterday to recruit the quarterback or did it just happen that way?

“Maybe a little bit of both.”

 

What’s your pitch?

“I won’t take him to the ground three or four times a year.”

 

In your mind, do you need to win a Super bowl here for this to be the right decision for you to sign that extension?

“I think we all play the game to win a Super Bowl. So whether it’s for this dollar amount or any dollar amount, I think that’s what we get into the game for, regardless. So I’m not worried about whether that’s the right decision or not. That’s always been the plan since day one.”

 

After going through this experience and feeling the feeling of what it actually might be like for you not to be here anymore and maybe not to have the Cleveland support or the community that you’ve had over these past eight years, do you feel now that you want to finish your career in Cleveland? And if so, might this be even more meaningful to you than ever before?

“I mean, as I said earlier, I’ve always wanted to end my career here. The team I started with, I wanted to end with. And with the contract now, that’ll likely be how things go for as long as they’ll have me. I’m glad to be here, and I’m glad to have supported Cleveland. And for those who may have taken a step back, like I said, I’ll continue to change their opinions with my play and what I continue to do day in and day out.”

 

Have you had any conversations with your teammates? Because obviously when you say you want to go somewhere to win the Super Bowl, they might think, does he think we’re not good enough? Have you had conversations with them and have you had to explain things to them at all?

“Yeah, I mean, I had conversations with my teammates and, you know, some of the leaders on the team, as well as, you know, my position room. They understand that it’s part of the business and they want to be successful as well. And, you know, it’s always difficult at the end of the season when you underachieve and things don’t go your way. I don’t want it to go understated how much they had an impact on this decision to come back with the things they have to say and the appeal they had towards coming back and doing things over again and just making these minor tweaks that we saw that could make a massive difference.”

 

You talked last, during last year, just how frustrating it was, the most frustrating season of your pro career. Did you need to put a little space between you and that season? Did that help in terms of maybe smooth things over, kind of recalibrate your thoughts about, you know, where this organization is and where your future with this organization is?

“Yeah, I think so. Taking some time away not only from the season, but just for myself, just getting away from football for a bit. It just helps to decompress and come back with a little bit more clear headedness and I think at the end of the day I made the right decision for myself and as well as for the Browns and I’m still happy to come back and play with all of these guys.”

 

What was it about AB and his process did you feel you have a better understanding about maybe compared to end of season?

“I think maybe at the end of the season I wasn’t as level-headed as I want it to be right after with still the emotions of the season still going on. I like to look at things pretty objectively, but as much as you can just coming off a season that most will look at as a disappointment and underachieving and as I continue to take more time and have conversations with him, Nicole and many other parts of the organization as well as my teammates, helped me kind of rest this decision where I am now.”

 

You talked about changing the opinion of any fans that were bothered by the request. Were you bothered by any kind of backlash you might have seen or felt?

“I didn’t particularly look at the backlash. I really don’t care to look at the news or social media like that. So I didn’t see much of the opinions. But you know, if there were any changed or any people that are disheartened by the news, well I look to change their minds.”

 

I talked to Joe Thomas about how this might go and he was pretty vocal about the fact that he thought that you staying here and finishing your career here would probably be just better for you in every way than maybe going and being somewhere for one year or two years and even grabbing a Super Bowl ring somewhere else. Did you ever end up talking to Joe throughout any of this process and if so, was he helpful?

“I believe I texted Joe just a bit early on, just getting his opinion on things and he’s always been a shoulder to lean on for good advice, knowing exactly where I am in this phase of my career and my life and he’s been in this position before. He was just a good leader for myself at a young age soI wanted to hear what he had to say.”

 

You had in your mind everything that was going wrong here, right? And that led to asking for the trade. Now that you’re back on board and you’re committed here, what’s it going to take for this franchise to get going and become a consistent winner year in and year out and what role in that can you play?

“It’s going to take everything and whatever it takes, I’m willing to give. I want to be a winner. I want to bring a championship back to Cleveland. So whether that’s going out and recruiting, whether that’s staying late, that’s mentoring the young guys, just whatever it takes, I’m going to do it all. Because I don’t want to come back here the same way we did after last season. I don’t want that feeling ever again. I want to feel like we’re taking more and more strides to that promised land.”

 

You’ve got that minority stake in the Cavs (Cleveland Cavaliers) for a couple years now. I just wonder, with the new deal, have you considered possibly investing more there at some point and have you talk to Donovan (Mitchell) or Jarrett (Allen) or any of your friends on the team throughout this request?

“I talked to a couple of the guys and wasn’t really thinking about the business aspect of accepting this deal and trying to invest more into minority ownership. I was really focused on doing the best thing that’s for us, my family, for my team and ultimately for the Browns and. And all this other stuff, business endeavors and ordeals can come a bit later.”

 

Is it something you be open to potentially in the future?

“I’ll be open to it in the future.”

 

What have the conversations been like with Jim Schwartz in that process and wanting to get this defense back to where you guys were like in 2023?

“I haven’t talked to Jim. I’ve talked to Jacques (Cesaire) about what we can get out of the D-line. You know, him always saying plays that are right there that we could have made or just things we need to tweak how we can really unleash guys and things that just continue to make me more hopeful and put a smile on my face because he’s just so optimistic. He’s so boisterous and he really wants to get the best out of guys. He’s really a player’s coach and I look forward to helping him develop these young men.”

 

When you realized you weren’t going to be traded, and it sounds like you sort of made the decision, okay, I want to stay here. How did you feel when you say, “Okay, this is where I’m going”, what’s coming next?

“I mean, I was always saw that as a possibility. So staying here, it wasn’t like I had to be roped into it. This is a home and this is my home. So I feel like at the end of the day, we’re going to continue to make the best decision for ourselves and how can we turn this into a winner. And that will show the next conversations and continue to have those, like I said, and continue to make it more and more clear how this could open up sooner rather than later.”

 

Do you feel like Russell Wilson would be a good addition to this team and did you have a good conversation with him yesterday and what’s your role? I know that you wanted to get back in time to be able to help lure some free agents. So how did it go yesterday?

“I think it went well. I mean him and I had a little bit of conversation at the at the Pro Bowl as well as here and I definitely think he’d be a valuable asset as a leader, as a mentor to those young guys. Veteran leadership can’t be understated. And I think he has definitely has some juice left at the position. He’s got plenty of arm left. He’s very smart and he knows what he’s capable of. So he’d be a valuable asset.”

 

 

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A month ago, you requested a trade from the team. You said you wanted to go to a contender. A month later, you’re standing here with a new extension. What changed?

“Just having constant communication with the team, with AB (Andrew Berry), management in general, talking about the plans and the future of this team and how we can turn this around and turn Cleveland into a winner as soon as possible.”

 

Those conversations between what you had immediately after the season and the most recent conversation. Did the plan change or was it just kind of reinforced as those conversations went on? 

“I would say it became more reinforced and developed as time went on. You know, just a little more time for the season, seeing how things developed and progressed with each team making moves and the Combine and the draft coming up, a lot of dominoes just started to fall, and things just started falling in place.”

 

You took such a hard line stance on the fact that you wanted to be somewhere else to go win that Super Bowl, and it looked like a lot of fans kind of had a problem with that. Do you feel like you need to sort of do more or make amends or somehow flip this script after all of that?

“No. I mean, from day one, I’ve always said that I’ve wanted to bring a championship to Northeast Ohio, so that doesn’t change my stance. And I’m just going to continue to turn those opinions around or reinforce those opinions by going out and doing what I’ve always done, going out to make plays, being a great teammate, great leader, and being the best person I could be on this field and off the field for the Cleveland Browns.”

 

Myles, do you think this new contract changes your responsibility inside these walls or your influence inside these walls?

“Not in my mind. I’ll continue to be the person that I have been, and I think just being that constant leader, I don’t think you can put a dollar sign on that at any time. Leaders come from guys who are undrafted to guys who are the highest paid. It doesn’t take a playmaker to be a leader, nor does it take, like I said, a dollar sign. So continue to learn to be more and more of leader every year and every day.”

 

Can you go a little deeper on why you think now this team is close to contending?

“Well, I mean, we’ll continue to see that as the days go by and continue to make moves and changes and with the picks we have in the draft, and you continue to see us add more and more weapons to this team and see how we continue to mesh and grow.”

 

Do you regret the fact that you went public with the trade request?

“No. I think I had some frustration, and I feel like that helped us grow and have conversations that were difficult but needed to be had and that created a little bit more discourse, helped build some relationships and reaffirm them. And now I feel like we’re in a better place and now we can move on and grow from there.”

 

I know with coming back, you mentioned or you want to, it seems like, help recruit free agents and do all those things in the offseason, but was there any concern with the trade request going public and other things that might scare some people off of wanting to come here or anything like that?

“Well, I’m here, so I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, and I’m willing to help however I can to get the right pieces here to make the changes we need to win games and to go deep in the playoffs and win a championship.”

 

If you have any thoughts about how you did the whole radio row thing, “I want to be out. I don’t think that this team could win”…Now you’re back and how that impacts the fans and how they view you?

“Like I said, I mean, that media row run, that created more discourse between myself and management. That created conversation between myself and AB, Jimmy (Haslam) and up and down the chain and that kind of stuff became a main variable for this deal getting done, these conversations down the road. So I think the fans will see that my heart’s in the right place. It’s never been about money. It’s always been about winning. And that’s where my frustration lies. And I want to thank Nicole (Lynn) because she’s the best agent in the world. And I didn’t have any input on how the deal was going to look, but I just knew that when the time came and we all know we’re on the same page, know that she went on and did what she does and got the best deal possible for myself and for the Browns.”

 

Any second thoughts, kind of how you handled all that going through, the being so public? “I want out”, this and that. It’s not about money. In the end, you ended up getting a lot of money.

“I mean, that’s what she’s supposed to do as an agent. She’s supposed to give me the best deal possible, and that’s what she did. So I don’t regret it. I mean, I feel like I went out and earned it by playing the best brand of ball that I know possible. And she went on and asked and they delivered and I plan to deliver week in and week out during the season. And I think that’s just how that kind of give and take goes.”

 

As it stands, the quarterback situation is still a little unsettled. I mean, that was one of the things that you expressed concern about. How much faith do you have in the front office to figure that out and what are your thoughts on the team potentially taking a quarterback at two. Would you like to see that?

“Well, I mean, just leaning on AB and his expertise and knowing that he has a plan on what this team and this offense will look like going forward and he’s going to put the best offense possible out there. He’s going to get a QB that we all continue to have faith in and we’re going to go out and do our thing on defense.”

 

Myles, at various points throughout your career, you’ve had turning points, some adversity, and each time along the way, you’ve elevated your game, grown from it, taken it up a notch. I’m just wondering, will this ordeal and the way that the Browns have rewarded you with this huge contract, do you think there will be another jump in leadership, on the field performance and just everything else that you bring to the table?

“I mean, that’s my expectation every year. So I don’t think the turning points have as much to do about it as continuing to meet with more people who have helped me along with my journey, my growth, physically and mentally, and this is an exceptional part of the journey. I’m glad to still be here, but I plan to make a jump because that’s just what I do.”

 

You said again, that it’s not about the money. You just said again, but it looks like the whole thing was a long game for you to get more money. So how do you tell fans, no, that’s not it.

“I don’t tell fans anything. I go out there and prove it. If it’s about the money, then I can just pack it in and not go out there and give my best effort. But I plan to be the best person possible in this locker room, be the best leader possible, as well as dominating on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. So that kind of mindset remaining and being displayed on those days when everyone’s watching, that really shows you what it’s all about. Going out and giving everything for those kind of wins and what I’ve done year in, year out, that really proves it to the fans. No amount of words will.”

 

When did you become realigned with the organization? At what point did you know that you were going to be back?

“I mean, I can’t put a specific point of conversation on it. Just continued to talk. Talk through things with my team, through AB, through Nicole, and just continue to give me more confidence in what we’re building here. When all sides were really aligned with what we have going on. That’s when I was ready to make the decision.”

 

Did they reveal at all their intentions with the second pick, and did that impact your decision at all? 

“Next question.”

 

You said the goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, but to compete and win a Super Bowl. Do you see yourself now finishing your career here as Brown?

“That’s always been my plan from the very beginning, I’ve wanted to stay with the team that I was drafted with. And I’ve always, like I said before, I wanted to bring a championship here. So that’s something that’s meant a lot to me. Even when I was coming from high school to college, being that one team guy and having a place that feels like home, you ingrain yourself in the community. And the Canton part sounds great. Players want to be in the Hall of Fame. That’s a tremendous individual reward. But communities and cities remember championships, and that’s what I want to do.”

 

Jimmy not taking the meeting with you, was there a connection between that and the fact that this happened so soon after that? I mean, was that them showing you that, you know, we’re locking arms here and we want to keep you here, we are absolutely not trading you, or was there no connection between that and the end result?

“I mean, I’m gonna say that just the conversation opened up for me and AB to talk more, and Jimmy took a bit of a back seat leaning on AB and our relationship, and I think that’s for the better. You want to have a good relationship with your owner as well as your GM. And him and I have had many discussions and conversations over the years, and he helped me see what the future can really hold for us.”

 

You’ve talked so much about the desire to win a Super Bowl, contend for a Super Bowl. Do you think this team can do that? And then how will you handle it if there’s struggles and it doesn’t look like that’s a possibility?

“If there’s struggles, we go through it. We’ve went through struggles in the past, and as long as we’re set on that being the goal, that’s everyone’s main focus, which has been shown that it is. Well, then I continue to try to find a way to get the most out of myself and my teammates and out of this organization. Because a deal like this isn’t just for me to be a player on the field. It’s for me to be, you know, a main focal point, it’s for me to be an elevator to everyone in this building.”

 

In your original trade request, you talked about how much the city of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio meant to you. How difficult was that in the decision making process? Thinking about that you’ve called this home for so long and then how much did that weigh into a desire to come back after these conversations?

“I mean, I feel like it gets pushed to the side a little bit, the difficulty of making a decision like that. And it doesn’t make it ever any easier with the record that we had, that kind of decision. So at that moment, making a trade request came heavy heartedly because this is a place that I love, that’s grown to be my family. An organization that’s grown to be and feel like family. So when I said it, I don’t regret what I said, but it did hurt because this has felt like a community. They have received me with open arms from day one and I’ve given everything. I wanted to make my voice heard loud and clear and fortunately enough it was. And just like family, sometimes you fight and you have to go through things, you have to build through adversity and we’ll get through this and we’ll come out right on the other side.”

 

In that Hard Knocks clip of you, and I think the last episode you had that line about you think that you guys are closer than a lot of people may think, despite 3-14. Now what gives you that confidence? Can you elaborate on that a little bit?

“I don’t want to go that into detail. Like I said earlier, leaning on the expertise of AB to put the right pieces in place. But I do understand what he’s building and we’ve had multiple conversations about that and I just know that I’m going to do my part to get everyone in line and on board with that goal and that message.”

 

Were you here yesterday to recruit the quarterback or did it just happen that way?

“Maybe a little bit of both.”

 

What’s your pitch?

“I won’t take him to the ground three or four times a year.”

 

In your mind, do you need to win a Super bowl here for this to be the right decision for you to sign that extension?

“I think we all play the game to win a Super Bowl. So whether it’s for this dollar amount or any dollar amount, I think that’s what we get into the game for, regardless. So I’m not worried about whether that’s the right decision or not. That’s always been the plan since day one.”

 

After going through this experience and feeling the feeling of what it actually might be like for you not to be here anymore and maybe not to have the Cleveland support or the community that you’ve had over these past eight years, do you feel now that you want to finish your career in Cleveland? And if so, might this be even more meaningful to you than ever before?

“I mean, as I said earlier, I’ve always wanted to end my career here. The team I started with, I wanted to end with. And with the contract now, that’ll likely be how things go for as long as they’ll have me. I’m glad to be here, and I’m glad to have supported Cleveland. And for those who may have taken a step back, like I said, I’ll continue to change their opinions with my play and what I continue to do day in and day out.”

 

Have you had any conversations with your teammates? Because obviously when you say you want to go somewhere to win the Super Bowl, they might think, does he think we’re not good enough? Have you had conversations with them and have you had to explain things to them at all?

“Yeah, I mean, I had conversations with my teammates and, you know, some of the leaders on the team, as well as, you know, my position room. They understand that it’s part of the business and they want to be successful as well. And, you know, it’s always difficult at the end of the season when you underachieve and things don’t go your way. I don’t want it to go understated how much they had an impact on this decision to come back with the things they have to say and the appeal they had towards coming back and doing things over again and just making these minor tweaks that we saw that could make a massive difference.”

 

You talked last, during last year, just how frustrating it was, the most frustrating season of your pro career. Did you need to put a little space between you and that season? Did that help in terms of maybe smooth things over, kind of recalibrate your thoughts about, you know, where this organization is and where your future with this organization is?

“Yeah, I think so. Taking some time away not only from the season, but just for myself, just getting away from football for a bit. It just helps to decompress and come back with a little bit more clear headedness and I think at the end of the day I made the right decision for myself and as well as for the Browns and I’m still happy to come back and play with all of these guys.”

 

What was it about AB and his process did you feel you have a better understanding about maybe compared to end of season?

“I think maybe at the end of the season I wasn’t as level-headed as I want it to be right after with still the emotions of the season still going on. I like to look at things pretty objectively, but as much as you can just coming off a season that most will look at as a disappointment and underachieving and as I continue to take more time and have conversations with him, Nicole and many other parts of the organization as well as my teammates, helped me kind of rest this decision where I am now.”

 

You talked about changing the opinion of any fans that were bothered by the request. Were you bothered by any kind of backlash you might have seen or felt?

“I didn’t particularly look at the backlash. I really don’t care to look at the news or social media like that. So I didn’t see much of the opinions. But you know, if there were any changed or any people that are disheartened by the news, well I look to change their minds.”

 

I talked to Joe Thomas about how this might go and he was pretty vocal about the fact that he thought that you staying here and finishing your career here would probably be just better for you in every way than maybe going and being somewhere for one year or two years and even grabbing a Super Bowl ring somewhere else. Did you ever end up talking to Joe throughout any of this process and if so, was he helpful?

“I believe I texted Joe just a bit early on, just getting his opinion on things and he’s always been a shoulder to lean on for good advice, knowing exactly where I am in this phase of my career and my life and he’s been in this position before. He was just a good leader for myself at a young age soI wanted to hear what he had to say.”

 

You had in your mind everything that was going wrong here, right? And that led to asking for the trade. Now that you’re back on board and you’re committed here, what’s it going to take for this franchise to get going and become a consistent winner year in and year out and what role in that can you play?

“It’s going to take everything and whatever it takes, I’m willing to give. I want to be a winner. I want to bring a championship back to Cleveland. So whether that’s going out and recruiting, whether that’s staying late, that’s mentoring the young guys, just whatever it takes, I’m going to do it all. Because I don’t want to come back here the same way we did after last season. I don’t want that feeling ever again. I want to feel like we’re taking more and more strides to that promised land.”

 

You’ve got that minority stake in the Cavs (Cleveland Cavaliers) for a couple years now. I just wonder, with the new deal, have you considered possibly investing more there at some point and have you talk to Donovan (Mitchell) or Jarrett (Allen) or any of your friends on the team throughout this request?

“I talked to a couple of the guys and wasn’t really thinking about the business aspect of accepting this deal and trying to invest more into minority ownership. I was really focused on doing the best thing that’s for us, my family, for my team and ultimately for the Browns and. And all this other stuff, business endeavors and ordeals can come a bit later.”

 

Is it something you be open to potentially in the future?

“I’ll be open to it in the future.”

 

What have the conversations been like with Jim Schwartz in that process and wanting to get this defense back to where you guys were like in 2023?

“I haven’t talked to Jim. I’ve talked to Jacques (Cesaire) about what we can get out of the D-line. You know, him always saying plays that are right there that we could have made or just things we need to tweak how we can really unleash guys and things that just continue to make me more hopeful and put a smile on my face because he’s just so optimistic. He’s so boisterous and he really wants to get the best out of guys. He’s really a player’s coach and I look forward to helping him develop these young men.”

 

When you realized you weren’t going to be traded, and it sounds like you sort of made the decision, okay, I want to stay here. How did you feel when you say, “Okay, this is where I’m going”, what’s coming next?

“I mean, I was always saw that as a possibility. So staying here, it wasn’t like I had to be roped into it. This is a home and this is my home. So I feel like at the end of the day, we’re going to continue to make the best decision for ourselves and how can we turn this into a winner. And that will show the next conversations and continue to have those, like I said, and continue to make it more and more clear how this could open up sooner rather than later.”

 

Do you feel like Russell Wilson would be a good addition to this team and did you have a good conversation with him yesterday and what’s your role? I know that you wanted to get back in time to be able to help lure some free agents. So how did it go yesterday?

“I think it went well. I mean him and I had a little bit of conversation at the at the Pro Bowl as well as here and I definitely think he’d be a valuable asset as a leader, as a mentor to those young guys. Veteran leadership can’t be understated. And I think he has definitely has some juice left at the position. He’s got plenty of arm left. He’s very smart and he knows what he’s capable of. So he’d be a valuable asset.”

 

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