USATSI 27932180 168422142 lowres
Myles Garrett Makes 'Worst' Admission After Rams' Loss to 49ers 1
Myles Garrett had a debut to forget with the Los Angeles Rams, and the star pass rusher did not shy away from acknowledging how poorly he played against the San Francisco 49ers. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year finished the 27-7 loss without a tackle, sack or quarterback pressure, leaving the team with more questions than answers after their highly anticipated opener.
The performance was particularly surprising given the expectations surrounding Garrett after his blockbuster arrival in Los Angeles. Coming off a record-setting 2025 season, he was expected to immediately transform a defense that already had championship aspirations, but San Francisco’s offensive line largely kept him away from the action throughout the game.
Los Angeles Rams, Myles Garrett, NFL, Cleveland BrownsLos Angeles Rams, Myles Garrett, NFL, Cleveland Browns
Jun 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett acknowledges the crowd prior to throwing out the honorary first pitch before a game between the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
Garrett’s struggles also came with an important caveat involving his health. He missed most of training camp and the preseason while dealing with a knee issue, and although he was cleared to play, he acknowledged afterward that he was not operating at full strength. Rams coach Sean McVay had previously indicated that swelling in Garrett’s knee had limited his preparation.
That issue appeared to affect Garrett’s ability to make his usual impact, particularly against an offense that consistently found ways to keep the Rams’ defense off balance. The veteran defender acknowledged that his attention was partly focused on staying healthy during the game, a reality that made it difficult for him to perform at the standard he had established throughout his career.
Myles Garrett Shares Worst Admission After Los Angeles Rams’ Loss to San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles Rams, Myles GarrettLos Angeles Rams, Myles Garrett
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) walks on to the field after a timeout in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Garrett
Garrett shared his thoughts about how he performed against the 49ers. This can be seen in a video shared by Fox Sports: NFL on X
Do you agree with Myles Garrett’s assessment of his Rams debut? pic.twitter.com/xZpnAWqcTK
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 11, 2026
The Rams can take some comfort in the fact that this was only one game, especially with more than a week available for Garrett to recover before their next matchup. Still, his health will be worth watching closely because Los Angeles made a massive commitment to acquire him, and the defense is expected to rely heavily on his ability to generate pressure and command extra attention from opposing offenses.
One poor performance does not erase what Garrett accomplished during his dominant 2025 campaign, but the opening loss exposed how different the Rams defense can look when its biggest star is limited. If the knee improves and Garrett returns to full strength, this disappointing debut could quickly become a footnote, but the Rams need their prized addition healthy if they hope to rebound and contend at the level expected of them.