DE Myles Garrett (12.4.20)
DE Myles Garrett:
On how he is feeling:
“A lot better. It was not the greatest time. I was not one of those asymptomatic cases, even though leading up to it I thought I would be. My parents had it. It kicked their butt. I had it. It kicked my butt. Now, I am back.”
On how rough his experience with COVID-19 was and symptoms:
“I lost my smell for almost two weeks, had body aches, headaches, my eyes were hurting, coughing, sneezing and fever. I was in pain. It was not great.”
On how much he was able to work on conditioning while away from the facility:
“Not much. I tried to get just a little bit of weightlifting in, but they told me to stay away from lifting and cardio just because they did not know what kind of effects there would be on my heart and my lungs from having corona. I tried to do my best to get a little bit here and there and try to stretch so I was not so stiff when I came back. Really, I was forced to just sit on the couch and watch my team carry on, and they did well.”
On if he was ‘going crazy’ not being able to work out:
“It was more crazy watching them on Sundays. Honestly, with everything that was going on and how sick I was, if it was the flu or something less contagious, I feel like I could go out there and play regardless. Especially the second game. I felt almost completely fine. Just the nature of what is going on right now in the world that I just had to watch and hope that they just kept on going. They did their best, and we came out on the right side.”
On if he was worried that he might have lingering effects that could keep him out longer:
“A little bit towards the end. The last couple days I saw the article about the Buffalo Bills tight end (Tommy Sweeney) with the myocarditis, and that was my main worry. If my lungs are a little bit heavy, if I am tired or if anything happens where I am out of breath, I will fight through that, but there is nothing you can do with the heart. You can’t play with that, and there is no getting around it. If that was what happened then I would just be there for my guys the best I could, but I was very fortunate and blessed to be able to come back and keep on trying to make this push towards the playoffs.”
On how he felt during his first practice back:
“I felt a little stiff moving around. Felt like I had been on the couch for about a month instead of two weeks. Once I got everything going and moving, I kind of got in the groove of it again.”
On if he was surprised he tested positive after spending multiple days at home with illness symptoms prior to getting the positive test:
“Just coughing and sneezing, and throat was not clear. I kept on trying to clear my throat, kept on coughing and nose kind of getting congested. I did not much of it, but I did not want to expose anybody to it if those were symptoms leading up to it so I did not want to bring anybody around me or go into the facility and have contact with anybody. I was not expecting to have it, but it just kind of ended up that way. There was not anything significant, unique or peculiar. It was just kind of regular symptoms for any kind of cold. I just did not want to risk anybody else having to sit out.”
On if it was a little bit of a shock when he tested positive:
“Absolutely. The mystery to me is nobody else in my close circle that I have been around has tested positive – none of my family members, my parents and none of my friends that have been around me. None of them tested positive. It is just strange.”
On if he is relieved that the Browns went 2-0 while he was out:
“They went the distance. They made it happen. Now, I am just trying to play the role I have been playing, just a playmaker and difference maker on the defensive side of the ball, do what I can and just be there when they need me and my number is called. They were doing that without me, and now, I will just try to add on top of that.”
On if he senses that he will be back to his usual self on the field this week:
“I am not here to make a cameo appearance or a second-rate arrival. I am here to do the job that I was doing before, and I do not think there will be any drop off. I would not give anything other than my best. I feel like that is at the very top of the defensive line rankings.”
On if the Browns medical staff has told him about any possible long-term effects:
“They have not told me that I have to worry about anything really. They told me that there was nothing abnormal about my heart or my lungs. I am feeling as normal as I am going to. Really, I am just treating it as if I am picking up right where I left off. None of this business that has been going on through 2020 is going to stop me from trying to put my best foot forward, and these guys deserve it. If we are going to make any kind of push towards the playoffs and a run at it, then I have to just keep on going and put the team first.”
On if he feels he has some catching up to do in the sack standings after missing two games:
“It is just about making the plays that I am supposed to make. If I am out there and I can make some sacks, a forced fumble and some game changing plays, I am going to go do it, but if I can put my teammates in position to do those same things, then I am also going to provide those avenues for them to do the same thing. I am not going to put myself before them and try to get stats. They are empty if they do not lead to a win or lead to us getting off the field or takeaways. I am just trying to do whatever I can for us to have the best chance of succeeding together.”
On if he knows how contracted COVID-19:
“I have no idea how I got it.”
On if bothers him that he does not know how he contracted COVID-19:
“It is kind of worry some because I do not know if I got it here, I do not know if I got it in the game, I do not really go out to eat, I try to stay away from that and I try to eat at home. Not sure. Really not sure whether I got it at the market picking up groceries. 2020 has been interesting. We are all just trying to carry on through that.”
On how to try to slow down Titans RB Derrick Henry and his role in it:
“Keep him from picking up ahead of steam. That is what you keep to slow him down. This guy, when he gets on the edges, you see he is as tough as anybody and almost tougher than everyone else in the league to get down. He runs hard on the outside and on the edges, and he has a stiff arm that guys fear. You just have to go in there fearless, grab a body part, gator roll him and take him down. Can’t be nervous. Can’t shy away from the challenge. He is going to be up on you in a quick second. He is athletic. He is fast and big. Just kind of like me back there taking the handoffs or trying to run you over. I would like to attack him just like those guys were playing me. Do not show fear. It is just another guy back there playing ball. No disrespect. Just as simple as that. Growing up in the yard, you did not have any fear of your friends, your cousins or whoever came down the street to play so do not show any fear now.”
On if he kept an eye on the Defensive Player of the Year Award developments while out, including Steelers OLB T.J. Watt setting the bar high with recent performances:
“T.J., (Bears OLB) Khalil (Mack), (Rams DT) Aaron (Donald) and all those guys, and (Chargers DE) Joey (Bosa), he had a good game. I just try to keep up with all the defensive guys who have big games – defensive linemen even to the linebackers. Of course, I see T.J., He is not only one of the best in the league, but he is in my division so I have to keep an eye on him, their defense and how they are performing so well. Whether he sets the bar high or not, I just have to go in and perform up to my standards. Whatever happens after that, happens, and I am not going to be too revved up on whether I win DPOY or I do not. I am just hoping that we go to the playoffs and we can win the ultimate prize at the end of the day. If I am able to pick up some individual achievements along that way, then all glory to God.”
On if RB Nick Chubb has been an inspiration after returning from injury and having strong performances:
“This is the first time Nick has been out with something like this. It happened to him in college, and he has picked up right where he left out then. Something like this, he was not worried at all. I know he is going to come back and continue to tear it up just like he was before. The guy is a workhorse and does it as well as anybody we have seen over the last couple of years. I am proud to have him on our team.”
On if his parents had COVID-19 before he did:
“They had it before the season. They had it before the season started, and now, they have not had it again. I was just surprised that everybody around me had not had any symptoms and had not tested positive, and I got it.”
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