DE Myles Garrett (12.26.25)
Myles, you talked about how quick Aaron (Rodgers) gets rid of the football. Is there any – what’s the best way to combat something like that? A quarterback who is so quick at getting rid of it.
“Gotta take away those easy access throws, make him look at his second read, and he’s gotta keep rushing. There’ll be opps if we continue to get stops during the game, and he can’t continue to lean on those quick passes, when you gotta score points.”
What would it mean to get the first one of him to also get you the record?
“It’d be special. He’s legendary himself. And it’s a legendary record I’m out here chasing. So that’d be a great one to put a picture on the wall with.”
Do you let yourself think about the storylines that could come with it or it doesn’t matter? You just want to get that sack record.
“Yeah, I just play. I want to get it and you know, like I said, I want to win while doing it. And I think we have the guys who are locked in who want to do that as well.”
There’s been a lot of people talking about you doing this since you’ve been knocking on the door for this record. Have you heard from anybody that surprised you or reached out that you were pleased to hear from?
“Surprised me? No. But hearing from, the generation before me or say two generations before me, like Bruce (Smith) and then (John) Randle. It means a lot to hear from them and them be proud of me and what I’m doing.”
I know you talked about this after the game, but obviously with Aaron getting the ball out quickly versus a lot of the rolling away from you that you’ve been seeing this season? Is there one you prefer to try to counter between those two methods of trying to avoid you or no?
“I mean, if he rolls out, at least he might end up holding it. Like there might be a look and feels he’s a little bit comfortable and he can settle in there. So, we’ll just try to keep him off balance with different looks that we have prepared and hopefully he holds it regardless.”
I think you said Pittsburgh does maybe the most of anybody to try to slow you down for sure, right?
“For sure.”
Well, (Mike) Tomlin had pointed out the other day that you still have five sacks in the last two games in Cleveland against them. So, if they’re doing all that, how are you able to still get the number six?
“I’m still me. I mean, he gonna make it difficult, but I feel like I’m very capable in fighting through anything. So, I also have some teammates to help free me up. I mean, a couple of those sacks, Shelby (Harris), DT (Dalvin Tomlinson), were really close. Mas (Mason Graham) was really close. Alex (Wright) was really close and I just ended up winning the race a little bit quicker. So, him seeing those guys and not seeing me has helped my case a lot.”
Myles, obviously the record would mean a lot to you, but now you’re like at this point, is there any pressure that comes with it too?
“Pressure? Nah, no pressure. Like I said, it’s going down. So, I’m not stressed or worried about if I’m going to get it. Just a matter of when.”
You and T.J. (Watt) have always kind of been on this trajectory with each other and been compared to each other a lot. He’s one of the people who has that record tied right now. Does it mean any extra to you to potentially be able to take down the record he holds with him potentially being there in-person to see?
“No. I think the guys around here have that more in their minds about the rivalry, whether it’s him and I or the Browns and the Steelers taking it from them than I do. I just want to go get it to say that I got it because I feel like that’s what I’m capable of.”
Myles, there’s a scenario where the Steelers clinch if the (Baltimore) Ravens lose. And maybe it would be Mason Rudolph out there for the full game, maybe a half, something like that. Have you given any thought to maybe what it would mean to set the record with him out there, given the history between the two of you?
“I don’t think there’s a lot of history between the two of us, but whether I get it against him or I get it against Aaron, makes no difference to me as long as it gets got.”
Myles, you mentioned the rivalry, the Browns, Steelers have. Is there a professional rivalry, though, between you and T.J.? I know the fans in Pittsburgh talk about how he’s better than you and the fans in Cleveland have talked about you’re better than him. Like, is there a professional rivalry between you two guys?
“I think the only rival is between the fan bases debating on who’s better. Like, it’s not like him and I are going back and forth, or like – him and I have very little communication. Like, you know, ‘Good game, do well.’ ‘Good game, see you next time.’ That’s about it. So, I wish for the best with him and his recovery, and that’s about all.”
When you’re talking about, like, the sacks you had against Pittsburgh the last couple years, how many of your 120+ can you remember?
“Can I remember?”
Yeah, or is there just specific ones throughout your career that jump out to you?
“I mean, getting (Tom) Brady in OT. That’s a big one. Honestly, I’m more focused on the next one than even… I don’t know, I guess I fell, and Josh (Allen) fell with me and me and Alex (Wright) got a sack, that was my last sack. But other than that, I can’t remember the sack before that. You know I’m just continuing to chase.”
What’s your front four on Mount Rushmore? And you can put yourself on that list.
“God damn, I’m gonna hurt somebody’s feelings. Reggie (White). Is it like a front four – like edge, edge, tackle, tackle?”
Your call. That’s when it gets difficult though right when you try to specify the position.
“Okay. Reggie (White) to AD (Aaron Donald), (Warren) Sapp, myself. Oh, I can’t take anybody over me. I’m not finished either so I got some more stuff I’m piling on but yeah, I would take those four into the game.”
Have you thought at all about catching Bruce (Smith) one day? Getting to what is it, 200?
“If I want to play that long man, yeah. I think at the pace I am now I could get it in like five years. Yeah, I think five years is right at that time to take out, go ahead and hang the cleats up. So, I do think about if I could if I can do it, and I think I’m only getting better. I think the numbers are only pertained to look similar to how they are right now. So, I’ll be knocking on his door pretty soon. He’s got the little graveyard he did a couple years back. We had all these graves, and he had to show me up. But it’s okay, Imma catch him.”
Myles, what’s turning 30 mean to you?
“What’s with these questions? To me it doesn’t mean much. I mean, I got my family members and my friends asking what I want to do – it’s like I just want to see another day. It doesn’t matter which day it is. So, I hope to go into my birthday as the all-time leader in sacks in a season, I know that. Other than that, I’m just grateful to see another one.”
Do you feel like you’re at the perfect sweet spot where talent, the natural physical abilities are equal to where the mental side of it, the understanding the how perfected your own moves, everything. Do you feel like you’ve hit a sweet spot right now at that?
“I think as far as moves, I haven’t really improved that much. I think they’ve been rather sharp. I’ve just been trying to keep them as sharp as they are. It’s a matter of like, understanding what offenses are throwing at me, and I feel like that kind of continues to evolve even to this year. And I think my reaction and adjustment to that has helped get me to where I am now, and that’s thanks to meshing with what Jacques (Cesaire) and (Jim) Schwartz are allowing me to do, allowing us to do up front. So that took more time than the moves. I think guys don’t need that many moves in general – you need to perfect a few and have a few counters, and that’s about it if you’re able to do more, then do it. But you don’t have to go into a game thinking, ‘I have four or five, six moves.’ You got your pitches, and you got your one you can rely on, and you got two in case you face somebody different, three to mix it up. And I feel like you can go into each game like that. So, it’s just a matter of them helping me learn the game, learning how I can attack the fronts differently, and get myself space to operate and to work and do what I do.”
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