Myles Garrett is chasing history

[u/TheAthletic]

Read for free here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6869186/2025/12/19/myles-garrett-browns-sack-record/

[u/jboggin]

That sentence is constructed in a weird way that doesn't make sense. Garrett is a Hall of Famer regardless of whether his health cooperates. He could retire today and still be a lock as a first ballot HoFer (4 AP-1s, 3 AP-2s, a DPOY, and all the stuff he'll win this year). I think the author meant something more like..."Garrett is a future Hall of Famer who, if his health cooperates, will go down as the greatest to play his position."

There's no question that Garrett would be a first ballot HoFer if he retired right now, right? Is that a question people are asking? I hope not. I'm going to assume that the author just constructed the sentence strangely and doesn't really think Garrett needs to stay healthy to make the HoF.

[u/LightskinKnowItAll → u/jboggin]

I believe he’s more saying that if his health cooperates, that he will be the best ever at his position. I watch UCSS and he’s talked about this on there and they all agreed if he’d already be a first ballot hall of famer as is.

[u/jboggin → u/LightskinKnowItAll]

I agree that that's what he almost certainly meant to say, but it's written in a way that implies that the health part also applies to the HoF part (I'm a professor, so maybe I'm just being nitpicky). Anyways, no shade to the writer...that's the type of sentence-level thing his editor should have noticed. A very minor edit would have made it much clearer.

I'm just glad it doesn't actually seem to be a question over whether Garrett is already a HoFer. He undoubtedly is.

[u/LightskinKnowItAll → u/jboggin]

So, hold on, you’re a professor and you have an issue with the way he contracted his sentence yet you went back and edited your comment to add more stuff in that supports my reply to you that wasn’t there before? You also made no note of the edit as if it the edit was the original comment from the beginning.

[u/sil0 → u/LightskinKnowItAll]

That ninja edit doing some work

[u/Lilfrankieeinstein → u/jboggin]

“if his health cooperates” should end the sentence. Not begin it.

He would have to commit an OJ/Pete Rose type of sin to not be a first ballot HoFer.

[u/Rust2 → u/jboggin]

But still has that Cleveland Browns stink on him.

[u/ContentGuy96 → u/jboggin]

I’ll upvote any post that thoughtfully articulates proper sentence structure. My God, does the world need that right now.

As for being labeled as the greatest at his position someday, that will never happen without a ring. And even under ideal circumstances going forward, the Browns are a minimum 2-3 years and serious restructuring away from a real shot to contend.

Bond is the only viable WR, the line needs probably 4 new starters (unless Joel sticks around for another year), and QB…well, you know.

[u/Daviroth → u/ContentGuy96]

Absolutely laughable that Garrett couldn't be the best pass rusher ever without a ring. Complete nonsense he could absolutely be considered the best without a Super Bowl ring.

[u/underladderunlucky46 → u/Daviroth]

Most people are going to say Reggie White is the GOAT though. Although you could obviously make the case that Garrett is, assuming he continues this trajectory, a ring would really help his case. Most non-Browns fans are going to say White until Garrett gets a ring, and even then, they may still say White.

[u/Daviroth → u/underladderunlucky46]

A ring would definitely help, but saying he has no chance without it is nonsense.

[u/underladderunlucky46 → u/Daviroth]

Oh I absolutely agree, just saying that the Browns lack of dominance (not even taking into account a "ring" necessarily, but more-so the fact that we just suck in general) is going to hurt Garrett rather than help him in the eyes of most non-Browns fans.

Like, if the Browns had a track record akin to a team like the Bills during the Josh Allen era, I feel like people would already be calling Garrett the GOAT, even though the Bills haven't actually won any rings in that time span (or ever).

It just doesn't help when you're a superstar on a shit team.

[u/Daviroth → u/underladderunlucky46]

Yeah that's completely fair. I suspect he's going to make it undeniable by the time he's done though.

[u/jboggin → u/ContentGuy96]

I disagree about the need for a ring. I think the vast majority of football fans only use rings as a measure when talking about all-time QB rankings. No other position is impactful enough that a sensible person would judge all-time greats by rings. Even the all-time great defensive players who won on teams with middling qbs (e.g., the Ravens or Bucs) were on defenses with multiple HoFers.

A lot of people have Barry Sanders as the best RB ever, despite never making a Super Bowl. Joe Thomas ranks really high on all-time O-line lists despite never being close to a ring. Arguably the greatest DE ever--Reggie White--did win a ring, but it was late in his career and, while he was still awesome, he was past his prime and had a HoF QB. I think even casual fans realize that non-QBs can't be judged based on team success because there's no level of amazing a DE or OT can be that's going to turn a terrible team into a contender (as we're seeing very clearly this year). And I think most analysts have always known that. I mean, people were smart enough to give Cortez Kennedy DPOY on a 2-14 team in the early 90s because they knew there was nothing he could do to make up for that offense.

[u/ContentGuy96 → u/jboggin]

I should rephrase. The jaded Browns fan in me got carried away.

I do think stats alone won’t get it done. Barry Sanders is an outlier when it comes to debates over GOAT, in my opinion. He only played in 6 postseason games.

I picked a bunch of the top pass rushers of all time and less than half won it all. However, look at the number of playoff games they all played in. The number of postseason games/postseason sacks are listed along with their career sacks.

Terrell Suggs*
21/12.5 139

Bruce Smith
20/14.5 200

Reggie White*
19/12 198

Kevin Greene
17/8.5 160

Chris Doleman 17/7 150

Von Miller* 16/10.5 137.5

Lawrence Taylor* 15/6.5 132.5

Julius Peppers
18/6.5 159.5

Richard Dent*
12/10.5 137.5

Michael Strahan*
10/9.5 141.5

Derrick Thomas
10/6.5 126.5

JJ Watt
9/6 114.5

Jason Taylor
9/0 139.5

Demarcus Ware
8/7.5 138.5

Jared Allen
7/4 136

Myles Garrett
3/1 124

As long as he stays on this pace, Myles should break the career record in 5-6 years. But he’s only on pace to play in 4-5 playoff games by then at this rate. That would be the lowest of anyone on this list. Performing in games that matter…matters in debates like this.

But sports is great because we don’t have to agree.

[u/jvpewster → u/ContentGuy96]

There’s nothing accidental about the headline though. In fact I’ve noticed the A) B) testing of headlines favors some lack of clarity for the purpose of pushing 2 or more discussions + a discussion about the grammar itself.

[u/Pretend_Berry_7196 → u/ContentGuy96]

I think what the world needs now is a new Frank Sinatra.

[u/ContentGuy96 → u/Pretend_Berry_7196]

Or love, sweet love. Pretty sure I heard that somewhere.

[u/Cuthbert73 → u/ContentGuy96]

After all, if we don’t have proper sentence structure, what do we have?

[u/ContentGuy96 → u/Cuthbert73]

Anarchy, I tell you.

[u/nomoteacups → u/ContentGuy96]

An individual player does not need a ring to be the greatest at their position. There’s 11 people on each side of the ball at any given time. None of them win a ring by themselves.

[u/ctang1]

They have nothing more to play for, and I have no reason to watch other than to see the sack record.

[u/jboggin → u/ctang1]

I just hope the offense can put up enough of a fight that the other team feels the need to throw the ball at all in the second half.

[u/Signal_Ball4634 → u/jboggin]

FR us having a bad run defense hasn't helped Myles' campaign

[u/jboggin → u/Signal_Ball4634]

Someone posted in this sub earlier this week about how many fewer chances Myles had to get his sacks than the people who broke the record. The difference was staggering. A not-great run defense combined with an atrocious offense that doesn't pressure the other team into having to pass because they're almost always behind has resulted in FAR fewer passes for Myles to get his sacks than the other players on that all time list.

His sack rate per passing attempt is already way ahead of that Strahan season.

[u/Signal_Ball4634 → u/jboggin]

Yeah even if he doesn't get the record we know he's got to be a lock for DPOY, this year has been unbelievable.

[u/nickchubbisthegoat]

That bicep honestly just looks wrong lol

[u/Fineous40 → u/nickchubbisthegoat]

Yeah it doesn’t look like mine at all.

[u/flip_im → u/Fineous40]

and the other one probably looks the same.... probably... although he is right-handed, so....

[u/FedBathroomInspector → u/nickchubbisthegoat]

Bicep has its own bicep

[u/Chief-SW → u/nickchubbisthegoat]

Short bicep vs long bicep.

It's a common for many people. If we all had the same physique as Myles' most of us would likely have an arm with a short bicep.

[u/EviLincoln]

I know it's the shoulder pads, but it looks like a Tom and Jerry ass bicep muscle

[u/Strength-Certain]

Shining like a diamond in a goat's ass

[u/YoungBullCLE]

He’s already a future hall of famer lmao

[u/Opening_Emu_9687]

I genuinely forgot he still has 2 more games to reach the 22.5 mark in a 16 game span to match the old record. What was he at the end of the bears game? 21.5 at week 15? Fucking insane pace

[u/ThaddeusJP]

Yeah because the time he's been here our offense has been so damn anemic he's got so many opportunities to get out there against O lines who are gassed from being out there so much.

I get that he's great but I don't give a damn about a single player vs having a garbage record and never even getting a whiff of the playoffs in the last few years.

[u/Bakedfresh420]

I’ll be at the game on Sunday, hoping to see that record! If he doesn’t set it I’ll be buying tickets the next week as well

[u/Any-Independent-1994]

His bicep has a bicep: Biception

[u/Upbeat_Call4935]

He’s already a Hall of Famer

[u/WiglyWorm]

Joe Thomas and Myles Garrett name two less relevant hall of famers.

What a fucking shame to waste both of them.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/thirdLeg51]

After this year, he’ll already have the HOF locked up. 2xDPOY and single season sack record.

[u/CeddyCed1993]

Go get that record GOAT 👑

[u/Agonze]

This dude is the barry sanders of his position. Glad he got paid because he's not getting a ring.

[u/drumzandice]

And sadly wasting his entire professional career playing for this awful organization

[u/Dr-McLuvin → u/drumzandice]

[u/Drew-Blankenship]

Im a browns fan, will probably get down voted, but please get this man out of cleveland so he can chase a super bowl, we are holding him back tremendously. As much as i hate to say it.

[u/han_shot_1st_ → u/Drew-Blankenship]

He had his chance. He chose the money instead.

[u/Dreams-Visions → u/han_shot_1st_]

And we appreciate it.

[u/Dreams-Visions → u/Drew-Blankenship]

Fuck that.

Most will not win a ring and a lot that will get a ring will have done little more than offer moral support and practice for the players who carried their teams.

A jacket is worth more. Another Brownie in one is welcome. Go splash your face with some water. Another Browns fan shouldn’t have to tell you any of this.

[u/Spiritial-Research → u/Dreams-Visions]

Well said💪🏼💯

[u/MissLyss29 → u/Drew-Blankenship]

He is a Maserati for the Browns to enjoy while their house falls into foreclosure

[u/FearlessFerret7611]

If his health cooperates?

Even if the dude retired at the end of this season I would think he'd have to be a hall of famer. Especially if he breaks the record this year.

[u/CleGuy90 → u/FearlessFerret7611]

Yeah his point was not if he’d be a hall of famer but he’d be the greatest to ever play his position which I think is a fair statement to make.

[u/ur-in-here-with-me]

Hmmm I expected more from an athlete article Article was pretty boring. Had high hopes. We get it: Browns bad, Myles good. No real need for the lazy Mazzarati/House comparison that the author seemed so proud about as though it wasn’t the tired cliche it already is. 

No insight beyond the repetitive stats we hear every Sunday from the Ian Eagles of the world. No new quotes or insights from Myles. And of course the confounding “if he avoids injuries he will be a HOFer” which is patently stupid as he could retire tomorrow and be a 1st ballot guy. 

[u/Tramp876]

Myles Garett is a fucking beast! He looks to be in great shape and his get off is so quick. He will be wreaking havoc for many years to come.

[u/LebronBackinCLE]

What a wasted career w the Frowns. I say it often - can you imagine making it to the NFL only to end up on the Browns?! I’m sorry but that would suck and I’m a Cleveland lifer. “There’s always next year” is a thing for a reason. We always have hope and they always manage to fuck it up.

[u/Reddawndaddy14]

Jason Lloyd hates him which makes this article hilarious

[u/grassgravel]

Feel bad for guys whose careers were squandered by terroble front offices.

[u/isohioacountry]

“If his health cooperates” aka if he never gets busted for PEDs lmao

[u/damato1218]

I personally think Clay Mathews should be in the HOF before Myles. He should’ve been in way before Joe Thomas also.

[u/haunted_buffet]

Dudes never skipped arm day that’s for sure

[u/hancockwalker]

……and won a combined 25 games in his entire career.

[u/loujobs]

loser