DE Myles Garrett (12.16.21)
On how it feels to be the first Browns player to be ranked 99 on Madden:
“It feels pretty damn good. I did not know there had not been a 99 on Madden. I kind of expected (former Browns T) Joe Thomas to have one or like a throwback team and (Pro Football Hall of Fame and Browns HB) Jim Brown or something. It is a great feeling, but I hope it is not the last time. Hopefully, we have a couple of other guys to join me.”
On how the Browns overcome the adversity faced this week:
“One day at a time. We can’t worry about the past, and we do not know about the future so just stay in the present and control what we can control. Whoever is up has to be ready. We can’t anticipate being the guy who comes off the bench this week. Right now it is Thursday, and you might be up right now and have to make a play that they have only seen done themselves. We have to be able to rise to the occasion and prepare for the moment.”
On if he personally has to step up again this Saturday with so several Browns players potentially out:
“We will, 100 percent. Guys who are starters and guys who are big time play makers for this team, we are going to have to show it. We have to lead, and we are going to have to lead by example, not just lead with our voices. Right now, we are short-staffed, and there are a lot of guys who are out, but no one is going to make excuses for us, and nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We have to do what we said we wanted to do all year, and that means we have to go through the Raiders to do it.”
On how the Browns will overcome DT Malik McDowell potentially being out for this week’s game:
“We have other guys chomping at the bit to be playing in the game and to have this opportunity. It will not be just one guy because he is a dominant force. When I am in there or we have someone else in there, I think we can find a way to try to replicate his success, but we will miss him.”
On how many times he watched his sack-fumble fumble-return TD against the Ravens last week:
“I probably watched it about three times. The last time was with my family, and then it was kind of out of my mind because I have been trying to watch film on the Raiders and seeing how I can do it again.”
On Head Coach Kevin Stefanski’s comment last year after the AFC Wild Card Win at Pittsburgh that ‘they do not need me’ and how the team can use the experience last year to benefit the Browns this week, if Stefanski is unavailable:
“Business as usual. I am not going to say we do not need him. We love having Kevin around. He is a great leader for us and a great guy, but we have a lot of men who have played a lot of ball and know how to lead men, as well. We will probably miss his play calling and the things he does on the offensive side, but we will find a way to take care of business.”
On the significance and urgency of Saturday’s game against the Raiders:
“Just as important as before. Nothing has changed. The game after, next week, same importance. We have to win out.”
On his confidence in QB Case Keenum if QB Baker Mayfield is unavailable on Saturday:
“I have faith in Case. I always have. I have seen it at practice, and I have seen it facing him on the other side of the ball. I miss Baker. I hope he gets the opportunity to play. That is up in the air right now, but I know Case can get the job done. We just have to put him in good field position and a positive position to win.”
On if he has said anything to his teammates about potentially needing to put this week’s game on the defense’s shoulders:
“No, that is a talk we will have when we are closer to the game. I do not think it is very hard for one man to win any sporting event, and if I have to step up and do that, I will do it to my damndest. I think it is a team affair. There are 11 guys on the field for a reason. If they want to take me out, they know they will have to throw three guys at me. I know if I get my opportunities one on one, especially this Saturday, I have to capitalize on it, and I have to win.”
On what he is doing to help ensure that he does not contract COVID-19 again:
“I am trying to be careful. I am trying to navigate it the best I can. Trying to reduce any time I have been around people at the facility and just being out in general. When I have not been at work, I have been at home and trying to stay secluded to myself and trying to stay away from my family – I do not want them to get it. If they are away from me, I am trying to [reduce time] around my parents and the people around me so they do not have to suffer through it, as well.”
On how much he is hoping that DE Jadeveon Clowney keeps testing negative for COVID-19 after missing some time this week due to an illness:
“Of course. Of course, I am hoping that he is negative. Kiff (defensive line coach Chris Kiffin) has had a cold for a while, but it was just a cold. I am hoping it is the same thing with JD.”
On if the adversity from the number of players placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list this week can further bring the team together, given G Joel Bitonio’s comment earlier this week, understanding he was only on the field at the end of today’s practice:
“I was out there at the end of practice. I was doing my own thing kind of on the side. Just trying to get some work done myself. The walking-through, getting some conditioning and just trying to take precautions for myself. I know how it affected me so I am just trying not to take catch it. Even if I am asymptomatic this time around, there is not telling what it could do to my loved ones and what happened with them last year. The guys look fine. They look in high spirits. A bit confused, but they are looking like they are ready to go.”
On if he will be able to jump on the first snap of the game if it goes over Raiders QB Derick Carr’s head like it did in last year’s matchup:
“Hey, I do not know. Maybe I learned from my mistakes, but we will see (laughter).”
On what he would like to see change with the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols following his experience with COVID-19 last year, given the league is considering changes:
“See changed? That might be a better question for (Browns C and NFLPA President) JC (Tretter). Today, it was it was strange in the way they went about testing or I guess the lack of testing. I know today they were saying that we were not going to test, and we were just going to go into the building, even though we might have a couple more guys pop up as positive. It almost seemed like we were just ignoring it instead of addressing the issue. We should go ahead and test and then allow in the building but not before you get results, and that is how it should be. The lack of testing that we have done all year I kind of feel like has led to this point. Only testing one time a week and guys doing their own thing on Monday and Tuesday with their time off, it was kind of a recipe for disaster.”
On discussions about the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols potentially changing to require only one negative COVID-19 test result before returning rather than the current policy of needing two within 24 hours:
“I feel like two is good. One, you never know – it could be positive again the next day so I think two is a good standard.”
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