Myles Garrett reflected on his chase for the NFL's single-season sack record coming down to the final 5 minutes of the Cleveland Browns season
Myles Garrett made his way to the podium the same way he had 16 other times this season, with a hand picked song to set the mood. The song of choice after setting the single-season sack record in a thrilling 20-18 win over the Cincinnati Bengals: I Wonder, Kanye West.
The opening lines of the song were fitting
Find your dreams come true
And I wonder if you know
What it means, what it means.
In Garrett's case it means he's the single-season sack king. Although it was a nightmare that left the Browns' star doubting whether or not he'd reach the historic moment, especially as it still weighed in the balance with less than six minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
"I had a dream that I didn't get it, Garrett admitted. "So I was like, well, shit, we gotta. We gotta deny fate, whatever it is, you know, we gotta make it happen."
It finally happened at the 5:04 mark of the fourth quarter, as Garrett ducked around veteran tackle Orlando Brown Jr, and pounced on Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who sensed hus presence and dove to the turf.
Garrett took a bow. His teammates mobbed him, to celebrate the historic moment together.
"I've given everything to them. They get my very best every day. And I'm so grateful and so glad to have them as teammates, the soon-to-be two time Defensive Player of the Year said. Setting the record was as much about Garrett's teammates as it was about bolstering his Hall of Fame resume.
"It's a privilege to be with these guys, go to work with these guys, to bleed, to sweat and to cry with these guys" he said. "Man, I couldn't imagine doing it with a better group of men going in. Always coming in with a great attitude, working hard and coming with a smile on their faces. And they never too high, never too low. I'm so proud of this group."
The moment was not without controversy, though. Browns players stormed the field to join the festivities afterward, but the Bengals were trying to run their hurry-up offense. For a moment the game was essentially paused, while Garrett was getting mobbed. No flags were thrown no timeouts taken.
Bengals star wideour Ja'Marr Chase took exception to how it unfolded. So did head coach Zac Taylor. Garrett appreciated the opportunity to soak in the feat he had just accomplished.
"It was everything I expected," he said of the momenr. "It was so tough. I knew they were going to make it difficult, but s*** I don't think I saw more than three singles on a real drop back the whole game. And I just knew that if I did, I had to make that moment count. And the feeling couldn't be better."
As the fourth quarter wound down, the Browns were trying anything to get Garrett freed up for sack. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz started rotating Garrett to different places on the defensive line. At one point, Garrett was even seen standing up as an off ball linebacker.
That nightmare was starting to feel all too real.
"Despair," Garrett said of what he felt waking up from that bad dream. Like I was scared as hell, but shoot, it was 7 or 6:30 and I told my guy, John, I was like, let's eat, let's talk. But we got to talk through this and, and just prepare early because there's no way we're going to allow anything in the way of history."
Garrett can rest easy now. He stands alone with 23 sacks in a single season. A dream come to life, with a celebration fit for a sack king.
"Some pizza and some ice cream," Garrett said of how he'll toast the achievement. "Probably get some Garrett Oatmeal tomorrow morning, and then sometime soon go back to Texas to see my family."