DE Myles Garrett (12.22.23)
You’ve been getting a lot of love this week from all of your coaches. Calling you the defensive player of the year and nobody else is in your realm. What do you think about that?
“Tt means a lot. It means a lot to hear that from them and I want them to know that it’s not for me. It’s for this team. It’s to help us win and to continue our success. It’s never about the awards or the praise or the accolades. We want to do this together and it takes all of us to succeed.”
What do you think of Case (Keenum) and what he brings?
“Case is a great guy, a lot of fun for the years he was here and he’s still a heck of a talent. Clever. He goes out there and enjoys the game every night up on the field. I know we have a light hearted demeanor and we’ll have to face off, but no hard feelings.”
He was talking on the ManningCast about some kind of deal you guys made two years ago about if you sack him or something early that…
“I don’t recall signing on any dotted line. If he’s got the paper, he can show it to me on Sunday. We might be able to work something out. But till then I think I might have to do the dirty work.”
Do you feel as dominant as you’ve ever been?
“As far as beating blockers and having success against my matchup, I think yes. As successful as I have been in the past, doesn’t mean I can’t take it to another level. Doesn’t mean I can’t find ways to improve or help improve the people around me, my teammates. I’ve got to continue to find a way to make more explosive plays. I want to say lacking but a little bit of a shortage of late, but got to continue to get the ball for us and make those plays.”
Have you felt any frustration? Have you tried to channel it? Have you been able to turn it into a positive?
“Absolutely. Repurposing and using some of this and focus on myself and on my teammates. And they’re making plays, they’re doing things in spite of what’s going on either way. So those guys are making the most of those one on one matchup. I’m trying to use that as motivation to fight through those.”
You don’t get a call or you’re trying to fight through a double team, you can’t get through. It just seems like the next snap you have a little extra there?
“I don’t play angry, I play inspired. I might get frustrated a little bit.”
Lareny Tunsil, just how good is Lareney? Is he one of the best left tackles that you ahve faced?
“I think he’s one of the best tackles in the league, left or right. You want to say offensive lineman. Special talent, great technique, exceptional athlete. Guy has it all. So looking forward to the matchup, much like was earlier this year against Trent (Williams). So we’ve had a lot of run ins from college up to now and look forward to it.”
What kind of sets those matchups apart? Like you say, going all the way back to college, what is it specifically about Laremy that makes it so challenging? “Opportunity to grow, like find something else within our game, within our bag to keep testing each other. It seems one way more than the other weekend, but he continues to get better and better. You have to keep on that intensity and challenging each other.”
You touched on it. How much do you thrive in those kind of like premiere matches, like going against your motion?
“Those are the things that really excite me. Most of the time I go in kind of calm, composed, but I can’t lie. Most of the time when I, when I get those. Those kind of matchups, I get butterflies. Knowing that this is going to be a fun one. No matter how it turns out, I can give 100% and he’s going to be able to fight through everything I’ve got no matter what the statute says. It’s going to be a matchup.”
I know it’s not all about sacks and you’re affecting the game in a bunch of other ways but how much does it – I don’t know what’s right word bother, annoy, bug you when you go a period without having sacks.
“Well, I mean you’re not counting the stat sheet so it never existed.”
A little bit, does that eat at you?
“For about an hour after the game. Then I get to sit down and see my family and I’ll see their smiling faces. I get to enjoy, we’re the best thing since sliced bread. We won this weekend. We got a little streak going. And then I just think about all the things and people I have around me and stuff like that, it’ll come and go. I’ll continue to play, that’s the way I know it. I’m trying to improve upon that and they’re going to continue to slide, chip and throw all their tools at me. The guys on the defensive line, linebackers, safeties whatever. They’re going to continue to make plays for us.”
When they have a guy like Laremy going up against you, is there any chance that you might get some one on one?
“If history is any teacher, probably not. But I know he relishes the opportunity to go one on one. So do I. I look forward to it, whether it’s chip or the double or it’s just him. We’ll see what happens. But I’m expecting all of that.”
Should you be the defensive player of the year?
“I think I should stay focused on what’s ahead of me. I don’t know how those things work as far as voting and candidacy. I’m just going to continue this team continues to win and that I continue to be a part of that.”
You guys are close to clinching a playoff berth. It’s a holiday weekend, not an easy road trip to make. Do you go down there with the knowledge you have to maybe have a little extra focus, little extra attention to detail?
“I make that road trip every summer. Guys need to learn how to do it. They can follow my example, but you got to learn to lock in when you get on the road. When we go on the road we have kind of been our worst compared to at home where we excel in our best defense. Got to continue to play off this momentum that we have right now and start fast. Jump on them quickly and get that first punch and I think that will show us that it’s just like playing at home. There’s really no difference. Take the flight out of it, you’re still playing the same game and we got to keep that level of focus and attention to detail.”
For this defense, considering like having the last two times on the road just in that regard?
“Yeah. I mean, we talked about it. The last time we played up to our standard, even more close to it was the Ravens. Still a rough one for the defense. We have a lot to improve on. We have a lot to prove. We want to hush all the doubt and get back to how we know we can play ball.”
You obviously got a taste of the playoffs in 2020. What would it mean to you to get back?
“I got a taste of playoffs, but not a whole lot of it. A couple of plays away from beating that team at Kansas City. I feel like I came up short. We all came up short essentially. I know there were some players that left on the board. I want to show that I’m not more of a player than I was at that point in my game. Look forward to the opportunity.”
AWalk (Anthony Walker Jr.) is not going to play this week and seems like surgery is not off the table. So what kind of loss is that for you guys? I know what a leader he is.
“I feel like we say this every week. We’re losing leaders left and right, especially one of our leaders on defense… A different platform and a different space on the field. I think he’ll accept that challenge. He’ll want to be there and still take hold of these young guys, make the most of the opportunities. He’s been through a lot, relatively short career and he’s planning to come back, but he’s going to channel that injury, channel that energy into helping us.”
JOK (Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah) said on Monday, he just talked a lot about your leadership this year, how you’re really helping guys. I’m just curious, like how have you approached your leadership role on this team this year? Has it been different than maybe previous years?
“I just treat them all like they’re my kin.”
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