The Browns had a difficult 2025 season but the 30-year-old defensive end had a historic performance.
Myles Garrett named Defensive Player of the Year after record-breaking season
A disappointing season for the Cleveland Browns ends on a high note for Myles Garrett after the pass rusher was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Garrett was celebrated at the NFL Honors evening on Thursday, winning the defensive award for the second time in his career.
The 30-year-old Garrett was drafted by the Browns with the No. 1 pick at the 2017 NFL Draft. He has repaid that faith across his nine years in the league, winning Pro Bowl honors seven times.
Garrett was confirmed as this year’s winner on Thursday, beating off competition from fellow nominees Will Anderson Jr (Houston Texans), Nik Bonitto (Denver Broncos), Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions) and Micah Parsons (Green Bay Packers).
What is Myles Garrett’s sack record?
He waited until the final week of the regular season to get there, but the Browns defensive star finished the season with a record-breaking 23 sacks. Garrett managed to get to Joe Burrow in Week 18 to surpass the record of 22.5 sacks in a season previously set by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021). The Browns DE finished the season with 23 sacks and will go down in history as the rusher with most sacks in one season.
For 20 years Michael Strahan of the New York Giants held the record with 22.5 sacks in the 2001 season. Finally, his tally was equaled by T.J. Watt with his historic 2021 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Watt and Strahan shared the single-season record with 22.5 sacks before Garrett’s historic feat. Impressive stuff from the Browns’ DE, who will be hoping the Cleveland organization can put together a team in 2026 to reach the playoffs.
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