Myles Garrett Sends Honest Message After Rough Rams Debut

Myles Garrett’s first game with the Los Angeles Rams did not go according to plan, and the former Texas A&M star was quick to take responsibility for his performance.

Garrett and the Rams opened the 2026 season in historic fashion Thursday, playing the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the game quickly became one to forget.

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The 49ers cruised to a 27-7 victory, while Garrett was unable to make the type of impact Rams fans expected from the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The star pass rusher finished the game without a tackle, sack, or quarterback hit as San Francisco controlled the line of scrimmage throughout much of the evening.

After the game, Garrett was brutally honest when discussing his performance.

"This was the worst version of myself that I've put out there," Garrett said. "I've got to be better. I got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I've shown that I've been before."

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Garrett’s disappointing debut came with an important caveat. The 30-year-old defensive end has been dealing with a knee issue that limited his participation throughout training camp and kept him from being at full strength heading into the season opener.

But we already knew that a player of Garrett's caliber was not going to use that as an excuse.

"I wasn't the player that I wanted to be. I didn't feel like I was the player I've been before when I stepped onto that field. I got to do what I can to get back to that."

The performance was particularly surprising considering what Garrett accomplished last season. In 2025, he set an NFL record with 23 sacks and earned his second Defensive Player of the Year award. The Rams acquired him from the Cleveland Browns during the offseason in a blockbuster trade, expecting him to anchor a defense built to contend for a Super Bowl.

That pressure only grew entering the season, with Los Angeles viewed as one of the league’s top championship contenders.

Garrett now has an opportunity to respond. The Rams return home for a Week 2 matchup with the New York Giants, and the defensive line could receive another major boost with three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald expected to make his season debut.

For Garrett, however, the focus is simpler: get healthy, get back to form and show that the Australia performance was an exception rather than a preview of what is to come.

And if there is one fanbase that knows Garrett is capable of doing exactly that, it is Texas A&M. Aggies fans watched firsthand as Garrett developed into one of the most dominant defensive players in college football history.

One rough game does not erase everything he has accomplished, and Garrett himself knows the player he is capable of being. It may take some time to get completely back to that level, but Texas A&M fans know better than anyone that Garrett will eventually find his way back.