Why Myles Garrett merits discussion among the NFL's top MVP candidates

Myles Garrett has the Defensive Player of the Year Award practically locked up for a while now, as he chases history in the form of the single-season sack record and the single-season tackles for a loss record during a memorable season.

As the Cleveland Browns’ superstar gears up for the finishing touches of his masterpiece 2025 campaign, isn’t it odd that he hasn’t been mentioned as a candidate for the AP Most Valuable Player Award? Let’s be honest: is there a better, more dominant player in all of football right now?

It’s no secret that the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award has turned into a quarterback trophy. Since 2001, the leagues’ most coveted individual honor has been handed out to quarterbacks 23 times, including co-winners in 2003. During that same period, three running backs have earned the coveted distinction. All other positions? Zero. During this time, three receiving triple crowns nor four 2,000 rushers were able to wrestle the hardware away from the passers.

While playing the most important position in all of sports is naturally expected to give quarterbacks a boost in the pursuit of this honor, history hasn’t always been so lopsided in favor of the passers. From the Awards’ inception in 1957 to 2000, 16 running backs took the hardware home, a number much less distant to the 26 quarterbacks that received it during the same period. Even one defensive tackle, one linebacker and one placekicker -- yes a place kicker, Mark Moseley in 1982 -- were one-time winners of the AP MVP Award.

New York Giants’ Lawrence Taylor MVP season in 1986 was one of the most dominant seasons ever for a defensive player, including a league-leading 20.5 sacks on route to a Super Bowl victory. In 1971, Alan Page was recognized as league MVP, one year after finishing third in the voting for the same award.

That brings us back to Garrett, whose 2025 season can stack up to any individual effort ever, including Lawrence and Eller. Garrett has already established personal bests in sacks, tackles for a loss and quarterback hits, and is three combined tackles from his personal mark in that category, as well. He has also recorded three forced fumbles and one pass defended.

While defensive stats are way more difficult to size up than offensive stats, Eller came away with three fumble recoveries and two safeties during his MVP season, along with 9.0 unofficial sacks (sacks became official in 1982), according to Pro Football Reference. Lawrence added two forced fumbles to his sack output in ‘86.

Garrett is now constantly being mentioned in the same breath as Lawrence. And when the league’s premier left tackle, San Francisco 49ers’ Trent Williams, states that Garrett is “the best ever”, those words should carry some weight.

#49ers Trent Williams 🤝 #Browns Myles Garrett

Nothing but respect from two legends of the game

🎥 @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/pRzwvCABsP
— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) December 3, 2025

Now, consider the usual suspects for the yearly award: the quarterbacks. Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes (before getting seriously injured), and last year’s winner Josh Allen are all playing substantially below their respective standards. The same goes for candidates such as Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, and almost any name you can throw in the hat.

The most plausible names for keeping the award among passers seem to be Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford. But even those two campaigns seem a bit below MVP standards. The only important stat Maye’s leading the league right now is completion percentage.

Should that be enough? Not nearly. Stafford has a stronger case, leading the league in touchdown passes and second in passing yards. Yet, nobody seems to be talking about his candidacy either, probably because he still hasn’t flashed the proverbial MVP moment.

Garrett has. Just look at his tape against Maye, or Jackson.

If there ever was a year to break away from tradition, it’s now. It’s time to look past the quarterbacks, time to look past the fact that the Cleveland Browns are 3-11, and time to look past the offensive bias, and reward the sport’s most dominant player with the league’s most prestigious award.

Record or no record, nobody’s playing better at football than Garrett, despite his team’s struggles. That merits top recognition. If even a placekicker could win this award, 2025 Garrett is surely more than deserving.