Browns' Myles Garrett Takes Home AP Defensive Player Of The Year Honors
Myles Garrett was recognized for a tremendous 2023 season by being named the NFL's AP Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday night at the NFL Honors show. Garrett is the first Browns player to win the award, which has been handed out since 1971.
Cleveland's star won the award over fellow pass rushers: T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys, Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders, as well as cornerback DaRon Bland of the Cowboys. Based on the voting results, Garrett just nudged out his AFC North rival Watt by 15 points.
Garrett led the way on a Browns defense that went from one of the worst in football in 2022 to one of the best in 2023. Early on, the 28-year-old was on an absolute tear as he paced the league with 13 sacks through the first 10 weeks of the season. The final seven games of Cleveland season didn't bear quite as much fruit as he earned just one more sack during that span. to finish seventh overall amongst his peers.
This year proved though that the DPOY Award was about more than just sacks, something Garrett's teammates and coaches preached throughout the season as they campaigned for him to receiver the honor. Despite the drop-off in sacks, Garrett was a game-wrecker all the same as team's built entire game plans around trying to slow him down week-after-week. Garrett ultimately finished with 30 quarterback hits and 37 total pressures. According to PFF, Garrett also registered the highest pass rush win rate (27-percent) of anyone in the NFL.
This recognition comes for Garrett about a month he was also named the Pro Football Writers of America's 2023 All-NFL Team and Defensive Player of the Year. The 2017-first-overall pick joins a long list of defensive stars throughout NFL history that took home both awards in the same season. The Pro Football Writers of America have only bee naming a DPOY since 1992 and there's only been four instances that both organizations didn't select the same player for both (1993, 2010, 2013 and 2017).
Statistically speaking Garrett has had some better overall seasons throughout his first six year in the league but DPOY recognition has always seemed to elude him. Now, he makes history as the first Browns player to ever secure the award, bolstering his case for what is already trending towards being a first ballot Hall of Fame resume.
Garrett isn't the only member of the Browns organization to take home an award at the NFL Honors. The architect of Cleveland's new and improved defense, Jim Schwartz was recognized as the AP Assistant Coach of the Year. Additionally, after guiding the Browns through a bevy of injuries to finish 11-6 and clinch a playoff berth for the second time in his time during his tenure, head coach Kevin Stefanski earned his second AP Coach of the Year Award as well. Even Joe Flacco took home an accolade, being voted AP Comeback Player of the Year.
