The Cleveland Browns didn’t have much to celebrate in 2025, but superstar defensive end Myles Garrett was the most obvious exception.
Garrett, who turned 30 years old late in the season, led the NFL in tackles for loss (33) and recorded 23 total sacks, setting a single-season record in the pivotal and prestigious statistical category.
As a result of his accomplishments, Garrett earned Pro-Bowl honors for the sixth consecutive time and the seventh time in his nine-year career. He also claimed All-Pro honors for the sixth straight time (seven All-Pro teams total, including six first-team selections).
But the ultimate individual achievement will come if, and likely when, Garrett wins Defensive Player of the Year for the second time (2023). The Browns announced via social media on Thursday, January 22 that Garrett is officially a finalist for the honor.
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“There are five finalists in each category, and the winner of each award will be announced at the NFL Honors presented by Invisalign at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Feb. 5,” Kelsey Russo of ClevelandBrowns.com wrote. “This is the third consecutive nomination for Garrett for the award, as he was named the 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year and was a finalist in 2024.”
The other four finalists for the award are also edge-rushers. They include: Will Anderson of the Houston Texans, Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos, Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions and Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers.
Myles Garrett Requested Trade Out of Cleveland Last Offseason
GettyCleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
The 2025 calendar year was a wild one for Garrett, who entered last offseason with a trade demand of the Browns, saying he wanted to go somewhere and contend for a championship.
The implication is that Cleveland, which has made the playoffs just twice in Garrett’s nine-year career, has never truly been a contender and didn’t have the organizational makeup and/or roster to become one in the near future, while the superstar defensive end remains firmly in his prime.
“My love for the community of Northeast Ohio and the incredible fanbase of the Cleveland Browns has made this one of the toughest decisions of my life. These past eight years have shaped me into the man that I am today,” Garrett wrote in a statement. “The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl. With that in mind, I have requested [a trade] from the Cleveland Browns.”
Myles Garrett Signed $160 Million Contract Extension With Browns, Then Delivered in Big Way
GettyDefensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
Browns brass, however, openly declined. Behind the scenes, the franchise continued negotiating with Garrett and just weeks later, circumstances changed significantly.
Garrett agreed to a four-year extension worth $160 million in total ($40 million annually) that will keep him under contract through the 2030 campaign, when he will be 35 years old.
While that won’t necessarily be the end of Garrett’s career, history of the position tends to dictate that once pass-rushers hit the back half of their 30s, they often become situational specialists. Edge-rushers can still dominate passing downs with sacks and pressure at that point and remain worth good money given the value of the skill league-wide.
It does, however, typically signal the end of a defensive end’s career as a four-down player under all on-field circumstances, which also typically means the end of any discussion for honors such as DPOY.
Browns Make Monumental Announcement on Myles Garrett