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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett danced past two blockers at a time against the Patriots and his last cue often landed near quarterback Drake Maye. The stat sheet recorded sacks when Garrett tackled Maye, but I counted a “sorry” for every splash play, too, even if Cleveland didn’t (and won’t) hear Garrett say it. Garrett will never repent for his offseason trade request —or his accompanying anti-Browns media tour — because he doesn’t think he did anything wrong. But he will play games like Sunday’s 32-13 loss over the Patriots, during which he tallied a career-high (and franchise record) five sacks, plus one forced fumble, and I think Browns fans can accept this non-apology. Stories by Jimmy Watkins Cavs center Jarrett Allen’s joke about the Knicks was funny until he became the punchline — Jimmy WatkinsOct. 24, 2025, 5:00a.m. Browns’ slow-burn approach with Shedeur Sanders is the right move. Even Coach Prime would agree — Jimmy WatkinsOct. 23, 2025, 5:00a.m. How Browns coach Kevin Stefanski’s underrated strength was highlighted by the Dolphins — Jimmy Watkins Oct. 22, 2025, 5:00a.m. Garrett passed Hall of Fame edge rusher Reggie White for most sacks before age 30 this week, the latest evidence that Cleveland is both witnessing and wasting an all-time talent. Garrett counts 112.5 sacks in 125 games now, which is even more impressive considering Cleveland has only won 55 games since he arrived in 2017. Edge rushers often struggle to reach the quarterback when offenses hold a lead. Even Garrett got shut out of Cleveland’s Week 6 loss to Pittsburgh earlier this month, during which Aaron Rodgers faced no incentive to hold the ball. And even his biggest fans express frustration with those performances. Same goes with Garrett’s leadership, which he touted during training camp despite skipping OTAs (again) this offseason. I don’t know how many franchise players can match Garrett’s speeding ticket total, either. And I don’t think he handled it well when reporters asked him about the latest citation this summer. Now add the trade request tour, and fans are torn. They struggle to fault Garrett for his frustrations. But they don’t see how he improved Cleveland’s culture problem this offseason, either. More Cleveland Browns coverage The painful truth about Browns & Dillon Gabriel – Terry Pluto What grade do you give Dillon Gabriel in Week 8 vs. the Patriots? (poll) Myles Garrett’s 5 sacks not enough to overcome bad offense and Dillon Gabriel’s 2 picks in Browns’ 32-13 loss to Patriots Then the pads come on, and they count nobody better. When it’s time to tackle the quarterback, Garrett’s flaws fade behind talent and production. Maybe “leadership” means attending OTAs and spending extra time with young players. But those parts are performative without performance. For 18 weeks each fall, fellow edge rushers see up close how Garret prepares a rush plan and maintains his body. They benefit from the extra blocking attention he receives, too. Make no mistake, if the Browns rostered multiple Myles Garretts – offseason missteps included – they would be a much better football team. And maybe they wouldn’t make him so mad. Garrett’s last sack earned several helmet taps from teammates. Remember, the four-time All Pro set a new franchise record and a new career high on Sunday. But it also left little dent in New England’s 30-7 fourth quarter lead. And late in the game, Fox Sports cameras caught Garrett slamming his helmet on the sideline above the broadcast’s chyron highlighting his fifth sack. Sunday marked his 11th career multi-sack game with during a loss. Hard to do as an edge rusher. After a performance like Garrett’s during a loss like Cleveland’s on Sunday, fans almost feel sorry for the guy — or at least feel inclined to accept his non-apology.
