Michael Strahan had a bit of shade for Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett after he set the NFL single-season sack record on Sunday against the Bengals.
Garrett took down Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the fourth quarter of the Week 18 matchup, moving him to 23 sacks for the season. He surpassed the record of 22.5, previously held jointly by Strahan and T.J. Watt.
Watt set the record in 2021, while Strahan reached the mark in 2001, when teams played just 16 games. Both Watt and Garrett had an extra game to do it, which Strahan referenced in his reaction to the Browns’ star breaking the record.
“I mean, I hold the record for a 16-game season. He holds the record for the 17-game season. That’s the way it works out,” Strahan said with a smile. “You can’t compare records from 12-game seasons to 16 or 17-game seasons.”
That said, Strahan gave Garrett his flowers for setting the new mark and expects more to come.
“This young man is amazing. Absolutely amazing. I know he has so many sacks left. He’s just 30 years old. I think just as many, if not more, sacks after 30 as did Bruce Smith and Reggie White,” Strahan said. “I think he’s just getting going and finding his stride. And you don’t know how hard it is to do that on a team that isn’t always in the lead or competitive. That’s the most amazing thing about it. He’s done it on a team where he’s the focus.”
Michael Strahan: Browns’ Myles Garrett Deserves Chance at Super Bowl
Garrett has racked up the personal accolades. But what has evaded Garrett during his career is team success. The Browns have made the postseason just twice since Garrett was selected No. 1 overall in 2017.
“I want him to be on a team — which hopefully will be Cleveland, because he signed a long-term deal there — that wins and gives him the opportunity to have the ultimate thing in this game, which is a Super Bowl,” Strahan said.
Garrett has said that winning outweighs any individual honor he might add to his resume. He even demanded a trade in the offseason, asking to play for a contender. The potent pass-rusher said this week that he wants no part of a rebuild in Cleveland.
“I’m committed to winning, and long as the team organization are doing so and they’re committed to that same thing, then I’m all on board,” Garrett said. “But if we’re thinking anything other than winning – tanking or rebuilding, that’s not me.”
Bengals Made Record Chase Tough on Browns DE Myles Garrett
Garrett was held without a sack for most of the afternoon, with Burrow releasing the ball quickly and the Bengals sending multiple blockers his way. But with the game hanging in the balance, Garrett finally got a clear opportunity.
“It was everything I expected. It was so tough. I knew they were going to make it difficult, but (expletive), I don’t think I saw more than three singles on a real dropback the whole game,” Garrett said. “I knew if I did, I had to make the moment count.”
Garrett had said his goal was 25 sacks. He’ll continue to chase that in the coming years.
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