NFL: Los Angeles Rams Training Camp
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The Los Angeles Rams entered their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers with sky high expectations, largely built around newly acquired defensive end Myles Garrett.
Garrett arrived in Los Angeles after a historic 2025 season with the Cleveland Browns, where he set a single season sack record with 23 and earned AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. The two teams met in Melbourne for the first ever NFL game played in Australia.
The buildup to the game was overshadowed by how each team traveled. The 49ers arrived in Australia roughly a week early to adjust to the time change. The Rams landed just a day before kickoff.
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Garrett’s 0-Tackle debut raises concerns
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95) pressures San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13). Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The contrasting travel approach showed on the field, particularly with Garrett. Garrett finished the 27-7 loss with zero tackles, zero sacks and zero quarterback hits, one of the quietest games of a career that has produced at least 14 sacks in each of the last five seasons.
“This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there, and I’ve got to be better,” Garrett said after the game.
After his 0-tackle Rams debut, Myles Garrett admits he’s not 100% after his knee issue in camp: “This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there, and I’ve got to be better.” pic.twitter.com/sfZazfoKYI
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) September 11, 2026
Garrett, who is also nursing a knee injury appeared visibly gassed during the contest.
Should the Rams be alarmed by Garrett’s performance?
Yes and no. Garrett’s knee is worth monitoring, especially after he acknowledged that he was not at his best in the opener. But one poor performance should not suddenly change the outlook for a Rams team that entered the season as the Super Bowl favorite. Garrett is coming off a record season and has 125.5 sacks in 135 career games, so there is plenty of evidence that Thursday’s performance was the exception.
There is also reason to believe the Rams’ defense will look different once Aaron Donald is back on the field. Donald was held out of the Australia trip as part of the team’s cautious approach following his return, meaning Los Angeles did not have the defensive combination it expected when it acquired Garrett and brought Donald back.
Garrett’s knee remains an immediate concern, but the Rams have too much talent and too much history from their star pass rusher to treat one quiet afternoon as a reason for alarm.