Browns' Kevin Stefanski: Myles Garrett Is The Best Player In The NFL

There's more to to winning awards than just totaling box scores. That's the root of Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski's case for defensive end Myles Garrett to win Defensive Player of the Year.

Not so long ago, the star edge rusher was leading the league with 13 sacks. Now he ranks seventh after a fourth straight game without corralling an opposing quarterback.

Sacks be damned, Stefanski knows what he sees every Sunday: the best player in the sport.

"He’s the best player on the best defense in the league right now," Stefanski asserted. "Go put the tape on, watch play number four [against Chicago] and watch how he – it’s a gain of three, but watch how they try to block him. He won’t be denied, gets the guy on the ground.

"I think what happens with our game, we get so wrapped up in sacks, he makes a play on a crack toss late in the game that loses six yards. And if it’s a sack, people think it adds to the statistics or whatever."

Against the Bears, Garrett finished with three total tackles, one – which Stefanski referenced – was for a loss. He came close to ending his sack drought in the second quarter as he appeared to have Bears QB, Justin Fields dead to rights on a key third-and-goal for Chicago. The elusive Fields dipped under Garrett's arm, spun around and booted to his left, eventually hooking up with tight end Cole Kmet for a touchdown.

Don't let Garrett's lack of sacks in the win over Chicago and in the previous three weeks distract from the impact his mere presence on the field has on the Browns defense. While he's tacking on double-team, and sometimes even triple-team blockers, it's opening up opportunities for his teammates like DE Alex Wright, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and CB Cameron Mitchell who registered Cleveland's three sacks on Fields.

.@ChicagoBears @Browns @Flash_Garrett attracts massive amounts of attention otherwise he will ruin your play pic.twitter.com/LJfO9Y9D4c
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 18, 2023

Along with the 13 sacks, Garrett has 26 QB hits, 14 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three deflected passes. Are part of the story, but don't paint the full picture of Garrett's impact on every game.

"To get so wrapped up as we do as a football society, when it comes to sacks," Stefanski reiterated. "Just talk about the guy that affects the game, that pressures the quarterback, that plays the run, that plays with unbelievable effort. I don’t know that there’s anybody in the same realm as him.

"He’s dominant as a defensive player, so he’s the defensive player of the year. I don’t think it’s close, and he’s going to finish strong for this football team."

Along with pleading his case for Garrett to be defensive player of the year, Stefanski plans to continue pleading with the league offices for the officials to recognize how much the former No. 1 overall pick gets held every week.

Garrett just wrote a $25,000 check to the NFL last week after expressing his frustrations over the lack of calls going his way. This week, Garret bit his tongue.

"Ask Roger,” Garrett stated after the game. "I didn’t talk to him. But you watch the film and you ask Roger. I know what the question is going to be and not going to hit me over the head with anything else.”

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Stefanski vowed to continue pointing the discrepancy out to the powers that be.

"He’s frustrated, I’m frustrated when he’s getting held, and that’s something that we’ll continue to talk to the officials about," the Browns head man said. "And I understand that’s a tough gig, but I do think it’s something that we need to make sure that is addressed."

The fact that it takes opposing blockers going to such great lengths to slow Garrett down could also serve as a testament to his greatness.