Against the New England Patriots, Browns superstar Myles Garrett once again showed that he is one of the best players in the NFL. Nevertheless, Cleveland lost by a clear 19 points, and he appeared very frustrated after the game. However, Garrett has no right to complain.

Myles Garrett didn’t mince words.

“I’m frustrated,” the Cleveland Browns NFL superstar told The Athletic. “I want to win. I don’t care how much time is left on the clock. Their starters are still on the field, so there’s a chance we can win. I want to be a part of that.“

But that wasn’t all, because the defensive end was frustrated.

”I don’t care how hopeless the situation looks – I want to try to make a difference. That’s why I hate being subbed out in moments like that. I hate that feeling of inevitability and that there’s nothing I can do about it. I want to win, and I’ll do whatever it takes.”

The emotions were understandable after a game in which Garrett set a new team record with five sacks, surpassing his own record of 4.5 sacks from a game against the Chicago Bears in 2021.

Myles Garrett had 5 sacks today — but becomes the first player in NFL history to do that and lose by more than 3 points.

Cleveland lost by 19.pic.twitter.com/HploFDzym7 https://t.co/RJopNdZ0ah

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 26, 2025

Nevertheless, the Browns lost decisively to the New England Patriots, 13-32. Out of frustration, Garrett threw his helmet to the ground after being substituted in the final stages of the clear defeat.

Garrett was selected by the Browns as the first overall pick in the 2017 draft. He remained completely winless in his first season.
In 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024, the Browns finished the season with a negative record, meaning more losses than wins.

Myles Garrett: Too good for the Browns?

Garrett only reached the playoffs with Cleveland in 2020 and 2023. In 2020, their run ended in the divisional round against the Kansas City Chiefs, and in 2023, they suffered a clear defeat in the wild card round against the Houston Texans.

The 2024 season in particular gave Garrett a lot to think about.

His personal statistics clearly show why Garrett is becoming less and less enthusiastic about Cleveland. In eight seasons with the Browns, he was among the top seven sack leaders in six of them. In 2023, he was also voted Defensive Player of the Year, and he is once again leading the league this season, with ten sacks after eight games.

In 2017, Garrett signed a four-year contract with the Cleveland Browns, as is customary for first-round rookies, which earned him around $30.5 million. For his outstanding performances, the Pro Bowl pass rusher was then rewarded with a five-year contract extension, which runs until the 2026 season and is expected to earn him a total of $125 million.

Money more important than success?

In February 2025, Garrett caused a stir with a surprising statement: he wanted to leave Cleveland. The reason: “Although I have loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages does not allow me to become complacent.”

His contract would have run until 2026. After that, the Browns would theoretically have had the option of placing him on the franchise tag for the 2027 season. However, Garrett emphasized that he wanted to win and compete on the biggest stages in football – which he felt was not possible in Cleveland – and demanded a trade. But just a month later, there was a surprising twist: Garrett extended his contract in Cleveland after all – with a new deal worth a historically high amount of money. Malicious tongues would claim that ultimately, it was the enormous sum of money that was the deciding factor in Garrett continuing to use his talents in Cleveland. A look at the contract details underscores this assumption: The new deal runs for four years and has a total value of $160 million. In addition, there is a signing bonus of just under $22 million and a no-trade clause that is valid until 2030. The contract also makes Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, based on the average annual salary at the time of signing.

A self-chosen fate?

Of course, talks can trigger a change of heart, but apart from the 2020 and 2023 playoff seasons, Garrett’s eight years rarely gave the impression of a truly competitive contender.
The whole drama surrounding the signing of Deshaun Watson, the decision to let Baker Mayfield go, the general QB planning, and the strange separation from Odell Beckham Jr. are symbolic of this, among other things. The Browns have not exactly been a model of smart, long-term decisions that ensure sustainable success and create a winning culture in recent years.
Every football player wants to win, and Garrett is no exception. But that’s not working out this season either, with the loss to the Patriots being the sixth in eight games. We’re not going out on a limb when we predict another season without playoffs. Given his experiences in previous years, this should come as no surprise to Garrett. Announcing that you want to be traded in order to finally play successful football, but then signing one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history just one month later with the very franchise that is known for negative headlines like no other, and then complaining about a lack of success while tying up a large portion of the cap space yourself, seems at least a little hypocritical.

It’s always good when leading players speak their minds, clearly address mistakes, and drive the franchise forward, even verbally.

But one thing is also clear: his sporting fate is his own choice.

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