Myles Garrett makes head-turning remark about missing out on sack record vs. Steelers

Here's what Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett said about coming up short on the sack record against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) blocks Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) in the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns secured a 13-6 upset victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it came at the expense of NFL history.

Browns superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett is chasing history, entering Week 17’s matchup against the Steelers just one sack away from the single-season record, jointly held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. 

Garrett did not record a sack in Sunday’s victory. However, the Steelers were hyper-fixated on Garrett, and forgot to handle their business against the Browns in their pursuit of not allowing him to wreck the game.

“I don't care what the situation is with the record. Not a single one of us wants to lay down to a team or a man that's in front of us,” Garrett said after the game. “I'll be damned if I'm just going to go out there and lay down to another team just because we want (a better draft pick).”

There you have it – Garrett doesn’t care what the situation is with the record. Instead, he was happy to see the Browns get a much-needed victory against the Steelers.

While some fans are upset about the Browns sabotaging a top selection in the NFL Draft, Garrett said he will be damned to lay down to another team just for draft positioning.

"I feel like to an extent, they were more worried about keeping me away from Aaron than getting the win, and I think that's what came to bite them," Garrett said.

What Sunday's win against Steelers means for the Browns moving forward

Before the season, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam refused to put a number of wins necessary for this to be a successful season in Cleveland. However, the owner quipped that 3-14 wasn’t going to cut it.

Beating the Steelers gave the Browns their fourth win of the season, meeting the owner’s demands. While this season has been a disappointment, finding a way to win a close game against Pittsburgh has to feel good for everybody involved, including Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Stefanski’s hot seat might have cooled – even momentarily – after this victory. While his offense still leaves a lot to be desired, the Browns have not quit despite back-to-back lost seasons.

“I think Myles affects every single game. He shows up on the stat sheet in a bunch of areas, even in ways you don’t always see,” Stefanski said after the game.

Garrett finished Sunday’s game with just one tackle. But it was obvious that Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers wanted to prevent him from breaking the record. 

It’s a similar gameplan that the Steelers deployed against the Browns earlier this season, but rookie third-round quarterback Dillon Gabriel was not able to seal that victory on the road for the Browns.

While Garrett wanted to break the record in the first 16 games of this season, he’ll have an opportunity to do it next weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals, who will also be coming off of a meaningless win in Week 17 against the Arizona Cardinals despite being eliminated from the playoffs.