Myles Garrett‘s 2025 campaign forced offenses to reshape entire protection schemes. He piled up 23 sacks, setting a new single-season NFL record, and consistently collapsed pockets from September through January.
The numbers were staggering: 33 tackles for loss, 39 quarterback hits, and three forced fumbles. He logged at least half a sack in nine straight games and produced three separate performances with three or more sacks.
Recognition followed quickly. Garrett earned unanimous AP Defensive Player of the Year honors, and praise from inside the Cleveland Browns facility matched the national acclaim.
Defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire described him as “the most dominant defensive lineman I’ve ever coached.” Safeties coach Ephraim Banda called his impact “truly special” and “God-given.”
Yet when Garrett sat down with Micah Parsons and reflected on what comes next, the answer bypassed individual milestones entirely: “What’s next for me? Super Bowl, Super Bowl MVP.”
A bigger target than personal awards
The statement reframes his historic production. Twenty-three sacks rewrote record books, but it did not deliver a championship to Cleveland. For all of Garrett‘s dominance, the Browns remain outside the inner circle of Super Bowl favorites.
That reality underscores a familiar NFL truth. Defensive brilliance can tilt games, but championships require depth, balance, and consistency across the roster. The Browns will need meaningful improvements around Garrett before they realistically enter the Lombardi Trophy conversation.
Still, his ambition signals a shift from accumulation to culmination. At 30, with accolades secured and a reputation firmly established among the league’s elite defenders, Garrett is choosing to measure success by postseason hardware rather than statistical benchmarks.
Whether Cleveland can build a contender capable of matching his aspirations remains uncertain. What is clear is that Garrett does not view 2025 as a peak. The record-breaking sacks, the unanimous award, and the weekly quarterback hunts appear to serve as fuel rather than fulfillment.
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