The Cleveland Browns star edge rusher sacked Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow during the fourth quarter in the team’s 20-18 Week 18 win. The sack was Garrett’s 23rd of the season, which broke the single-season sack record of 22.5 that was previously held by Michael Strahan (22.5 sacks in 2001 with the New York Giants) and T.J. Watt (22.5 sacks in 2021 with the Pittsburgh Steelers).
“It was everything I expected. It was so tough. I knew they were gonna make it difficult,” Garrett said postgame of the sack record. “The feeling couldn’t be better.”
Garrett later told reporters he was eyeing 25 sacks but he’s grateful to be the NFL’s new sack king.
“I’ve been waiting on this my whole life. My whole football career. I knew I had it in me,” Garrett said. “I wanted that 25 (sacks), but they made it real difficult these last two games, especially, really these last three. That’ll be the next journey. Trying to go out there and get 25.”
While 25 sacks might be a goal for Garrett down the road, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he hopes this year is capped off with an NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
“That’s history. He’s the sack king. That’s unbelievable. They’ve been playing this game for a long time, and for him to go get that in the circumstances with the degree of difficulty in which he got it this season is unbelievable,” Stefanski said. “He’s the defensive player of the year. You can make him the MVP, if I had a vote. I think the reaction of his teammates is genuine. That’s real. These guys care about each other.”
Cleveland finished the regular season 5-12, fourth in the AFC North and out of the playoffs. The Browns have only earned a playoff berth twice since they drafted Garrett No. 1 overall in the 2017 NFL draft.
Garrett, who was one of the few bright spots for the Browns this season, said he appreciates the journey despite the franchise’s recent struggles.
“You got to be the same person every single day. Come with that same intensity. No matter the result or outcome. You do it for the journey. The suffering in the journey, the failures in the journey. But that’s the price we pay for giving everything we have,” Garrett said. “No one is gonna win the Super Bowl every year. No one is gonna go to the playoffs every year. But that fight to get more and achieve more, wanting more for yourself and your teammates, that’s what’s gonna drive us to success.”
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