Cleveland Browns Star Myles Garrett Eyeing History Against the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Cleveland Browns might be watching the playoffs from the couch this year, but don’t dare tell the Dawg Pound that Sunday’s game doesn’t matter. There is electricity in the air at Huntington Bank Field, and it has nothing to do with the scoreboard and everything to do with the man wearing number 95.
Myles Garrett is currently sitting on 22 sacks. If you know your NFL history, you know that number is agonizingly close to immortality. He is exactly half a sack away from tying the single-season record held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt, and one full takedown away from standing alone at the top of the mountain.
It’s fitting, almost poetic, that Garrett has the chance to etch his name in the record books against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the script gets even better when you look at who is standing under center.
Chasing a Legend In Aaron Rodgers
Garrett made it crystal clear on Friday: he wants Aaron Rodgers. It’s not just about breaking the record; it’s about who you break it on. There’s a difference between setting a record by tackling a backup rookie and setting it by planting a future Hall of Famer into the turf. Rodgers has been elusive for Garrett in the past—in two career meetings, the Browns’ superstar hasn’t managed to bring the 4-time MVP down.
“It’s a legendary record I’m here chasing,” Garrett told reporters, admitting that a sack on Rodgers would be “a great one to put a picture on the wall with.”
You have to appreciate the honesty. He’s not giving us the standard “we’re just focused on winning the game” cliché. He knows what’s at stake. He wants that picture on the wall.
The Mason Rudolph Factor
Of course, there is a wrinkle. With the Steelers already clinching the AFC North, there is a chance Rodgers sits this one out. If that happens, Garrett might find himself staring across the line at a very familiar face: Mason Rudolph.
We don’t need to rehash the ugly history between Garrett and Rudolph. We all remember the helmet swing. But if Rodgers takes a rest day, the football gods have a serious sense of humor lining these two up for a record-breaking moment. For his part, Garrett shrugged off the drama, essentially guaranteeing a sack regardless of who takes the snap. “It makes no difference to me,” he said. “It gets got.”
Domination At Home
If you’re a betting person, the odds look good for Garrett. While the Steelers got the best of Cleveland earlier this year, Garrett turns into a different animal when Pittsburgh comes to town. In the Steelers’ last two trips to Cleveland, he has wrecked their game plan with five total sacks.
Even Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who rarely hands out compliments freely, admitted that Garrett is a nightmare in that venue. Tomlin knows his team is walking to the “doorstep of history.”
Beyond the Single Season
While Sunday is the immediate focus, Garrett is playing the long game. Turning 30 on Monday, he’s already eyeing Bruce Smith’s record of 200 sacks. With 124.5 currently on his resume, Garrett did the math and said he thinks he can catch Smith in five years.
That’s a conversation for another day. Right now, all eyes are on Week 17. Whether it’s Rodgers or Rudolph, someone is likely going down, and Garrett is likely going into the history books.
