Myles Garrett requests trade from Browns after eight seasons in Cleveland

Myles Garrett has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns. The star pass rusher announced his request in a statement on Monday, acknowledging his admiration for Cleveland but emphasizing his desire to win a Super Bowl.

“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 said in a statement, via NFL.com. “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.”

Garrett, 29, has been with the organization since the Browns drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick at the 2017 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. Since his arrival into the league, Garrett has gone on to be one of the top defensive players in the entire league, which includes an NFL Defensive Player of the Year award during the 2023 season. 

The six-time All-Pro (two Second Team) has tallied seven consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks and has topped at least 14 sacks in each of the last four years. In 17 games played this season, Garrett totaled 14 sacks, 28 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and a league-leading 22 tackles for loss. 

With this request now public, it will be fascinating to see how the Browns operate. Just a few weeks ago, general manager Andrew Berry was asked directly about the possibility of trading Garett, who is currently under contract through the 2026 season. To that speculation, Berry said that he wouldn’t trade Garrett for two first-round picks, illustrating his lack of desire to move him. Now that the formal request is out there, however, it’ll be interesting to see how that changes.