Getty Images Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
Myles Garrett came up big in the late stages of the Cleveland Browns 23-17 overtime victory against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
However, the powerful pass-rusher re-injured his left shoulder and had to play through the pain to help the Browns get the win. Garrett initially hurt his shoulder during a car crash in late September.
“It hurt really bad,” Garrett said in his postgame press conference. “I almost thought I broke something initially, but just in my head there is no tomorrow. I can’t be focused on ‘I’ll get better tomorrow or let’s focus on the next game.’ There’s just the next play, and that’s all that’s in my mind. I have to continue playing regardless of how much pain I was feeling pain — pain I am feeling. There’s only one opportunity for greatness. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. I just wanted it really bad. I wanted it bad for us.”
Despite barely being able to lift his arm and favoring it after the game, Garrett came up with two massive pressures that accounted for 1.5 sacks on the day. One helped the Browns get the ball back late, while the other came in overtime, shutting down the Bucs first drive of the extra time.
At one point in the game, Garrett slammed his helmet on the sideline out of pain, not frustration.
“I was in so much pain. I just wanted to get my helmet off me and just needed a second to breathe,” Garrett said. “I just needed some air, and I just knew that at the end of the day, this pain will come and go, but that pain of losing, that feeling that comes with losing, that that’ll never dissipate. So I just wanted to be able to be out there for my team and do what I had to do.”
Garrett Completes Task of Getting to Tom Brady
Leading up to the game, Garrett was pretty clear that he wanted to take down Tom Brady. Garrett had sacked him once previously but wanted more knowing it could be the last time he was playing against the legendary QB.
After the game, Garrett expressed that taking down the Bucs and Brady — who he has dubbed the greatest of all time — should help turn the tide for Cleveland.
“It has been hard for us to get wins around here. It feels good to get a win against the GOAT of the game,” Garrett said. “Hopefully, it will be the start of something new for us around here. We are going to keep playing like we did today. We aren’t going to quit on each other.”
Garrett moved to 10 sacks this season with his play against the Bucs. It’s the fifth consecutive season the former top pick has notched double-digit sacks. The only time Garrett hasn’t in his career was his rookie year, when he played in just 11 games with nine starts.
Browns Ecstatic For Jacoby Brissett After Win
The victory meant just a little bit more for Jacoby Brissett, who was making his final start ahead of Deshaun Watson’s return to the field following an 11-game suspension.
Garrett could say enough good things about what Brissett has brought to the team during their tough season from a leadership perspecitve
“I love Jacoby. He is a hell of a teammate, one of the best teammates I have ever had. He is all about the team and his players,” Garrett said. “You can’t ask for a better teammate out of anyone in the league.”
The Browns are entering a big week with Watson returning and they’ll take on a struggling squad in 1-9-1 Houston Texans.