Myles Garrett, the Cleveland Browns’ superstar defensive end, has spent his entire career with the franchise after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. However, it now seems he is seeking a way out. On Monday morning, Garrett officially took to social media to request a trade from the Browns, expressing that his “ultimate goal” of winning a Super Bowl is no longer achievable in Cleveland.
“As a kid dreaming of the NFL, all I focused on was the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl — and that goal fuels me today more than ever,” Garrett stated in a message to Adam Schefter. “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. While I’ve loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won’t allow me to be complacent. 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 to be traded from the Cleveland Browns.”
Just last week at the Senior Bowl, Browns General Manager Andrew Berry assured reporters that the team had no plans to move Garrett, but that was before his public trade request. It remains uncertain whether this new development will cause the Browns to rethink their position.
The news of Garrett’s trade request has sent ripples throughout the NFL, eliciting a variety of reactions. “Myles Garrett requested a trade and the vast majority of Browns fans are siding with him over it. Do you know how much damage to a fanbase an ownership group has to do for that to happen?” wrote Ben Axelrod of Awful Announcing. Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports humorously noted, “If the Mavs had waited 36 hours they could’ve traded Luka for Myles Garrett.” Mina Kimes of ESPN commented, “Started to think of teams that will make a call then realized it’s easier to list teams who WON’T make a call.” Jerod Smalley of NBC4 added, “Even the most devoted Browns fan would have to understand. He’s been arguably the best defensive player in the league, and he deserves a chance to play for a competitive team.” Tyler Dunne, an independent journalist, remarked, “Like the bold. But Comic Sans would’ve taken this request to another level.”
If the team chooses to part ways with Garrett, he would undoubtedly rank among the most sought-after players in the league, given his status as one of the NFL’s premier and most consistent pass rushers.
