On Friday, Myles Garrett shared that he is no longer impacted by pain or injury concerns. The Browns' star opened up about undergoing surgery to help with the pain in his feet.

“It's a blessing to be where I am now, feeling as good as I am at this point of the season.” 

The defensive end underwent surgery during his childhood to fix his flat feet, and the doctors removed tight tendons to arch his feet. This surgery caused him pain years later when Garrett was seen limping last season. 

In September 2024, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot reported that Garrett suggested that the pain might persist throughout his career. He even doubted whether he could play well at all.

“I mean, it was like three games into the season last year where I was debating whether I was going to be playing in games after that,” Myles Garrett explained as per the Akron Beacon Journal.

The Browns star underwent corrective surgery off-season to help him with pain. Although not a major, the surgery and recovery took a toll on him. 

“It wasn't like the recovery of a major injury, but it was long enough for me. I couldn't get back to the Myles that we’ve seen now for a couple months. So that was tough to deal with,” Garrett opened up. 

Garrett found rehab difficult but pulled through. He said being active was most important. “Having to do all this rehab was difficult enough. But being able to stand, to walk around, to do anything without pain, I'll take that any day,” he said.

What's Next for Myles Garrett?

Despite the difficulties, Garrett bounced back and has 21.5 sacks this season. While the Browns' 3-11 record doesn't look impressive, Garrett is on the cusp of having a record-breaking season in terms of sacks.

The NFL record for most sacks by a player in a single season is 22.5. Hall of Famer Michael Strahan set the record in 2001, and T.J. Watt twenty years later. The 2024 Defensive Player of the Year needs just 1.5 sacks more to match the record.

With only three matches left, the Browns are preparing for a showdown against the Bills. So the question is: Will Myles Garrett make use of the opportunity to clinch the record he said was “always in reach"?

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi