The Browns perennial Pro Bowl edge rusher met with the media on Friday for the first time since signing his mega-contract extension.
247Sports Embed Resource
BEREA -- The Cleveland Browns pre-empted the start of the 2025 new league year with the announcement that Myles Garrett and the Browns had reached agreement on a record, four-year, $160 million contract extension that includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money. It was one of the offseason's most discussed topics and the Browns and Garrett put the topic to rest, in order to turn the page.
In the release put out announcing the extension by the Browns, there was no statement or quotes attributed to Garrett.
On Friday. Garrett held a press conference to offer his first thoughts after his extension. Garrett was asked what caused him to back off his demand for a trade.
"Just having constant communication with the team, AB (Andrew Berry) or just management in general, talking about the plans and the future of this team and how we can turn this around and try include into a winner as soon as possible," Garrett said.
Near the end of the season, Garrett said that the Browns were closer than a lot of people think. Then, Garrett did a complete 180 degree shift and released an official trade request that led to multiple appearances on radio row at the Super Bowl and talking about leaving the Browns because their plan for winning did not 'align' with his.
Garrett said it took him a little time after the season to reconsider his situation
"I think, maybe not at the end of the season, wasn't as a level-headed as I wanted to be after with still the emotion of the season still going on," Garrett said. "I like to look at things, be objectively but as much as you can just coming off of a season that most will look at as a disappointment and underachieving and continue to take more time and have conversations with him, (my agent) and many other parts of the organization, as well as my teammates."
A big part of Garrett's pitch to be traded was the chance to win a Super Bowl. Garrett said he trusts Berry in the plan to get a franchise quarterback and get the team headed in the right direction.
"Just on AB and his expertise and knowing that he has a plan on what this team and this offense will look like going forward and he's going to put the best offense possible out there," he said. "He's going to get a QB that we all continue to have faith in and we're going to go on and do our thing on defense."
When asked for more specifics of the plan he sees, Garrett deferred to Berry.
"I don't want to go that into detail," he said. "Like I said earlier, laying on the piece of AB to put put the right pieces in place, but I do understand what he's building and we've had multiple conversations about that and I just know that I'm going do my part to get everyone online and on board with that goal in that message."
Garrett was asked what he expects to see.
"I mean we'll continue to see that as the days go by continue to make moves and changes and with the picks we have in the draft and continue to see us add more and more weapons to this team and see how we continue to mesh and grow.
"I would say it became more reinforced and developed," he said. "As time went on just a little more time for the season, seeing how things developed and progressed with each team making moves and the combine and the draft coming up. A lot of dominoes just start to fall and things just started falling."
Garrett said he does not regret demanding the trade public and feels it helped open up more discussion with the Browns.
"No, I think I had some frustration and I feel like that helped us grow and have conversations that were difficult but need to be had and that created a little bit more discourse, helped build some relationships and reaffirmed them and I feel like we're in a better place and now we can move on and go from there."
When asked specifically about going on radio row at the Super Bowl to make his demands known to all, he reiterated that he feels it has turned into a positive.
"Like I said, those media row runs, that created a more discourse between myself and management that created conversation between myself and AB Jimmy (Haslam) and up and down the chain and that kind of stuff became a main variable for this deal getting done these conversations down the road," he said. "So I think the fans will see that my heart's in the right place. It's never been about money, it's always been about winning.
"That's where my frustration lies and I want to thank (my agent because she's the best agent in the world and I didn't have any really input on how the deal was going to look, but just know that when the time came and we all know we're on the same page, know that she went on and did what she does and got the best deal possible."
Despite getting the biggest guaranteed contract for a non-quarterback, Garrett said his goal has not changed.
"No, I mean from day one I've always said that I've wanted to bring a championship to the Northeast Ohio so that doesn't change my stance and I'm just going to continue to turn those opinions around or reinforce those opinions by going on doing," he said. "I'm always going to make plays, being a great teammate, great leader and being the best person I could be on this field and off the field for the Browns."
Garrett said despite his high level of play to date, he will continue to be driven to play even better.
"That's my expectation every year," he said. "... I'm glad to still be here but I plan to make a jump because that's just what I do."
Garrett said he does not feel he needs to apologize or tell the Browns anything, but his play will speak for him.
"I don't tell fans anything," he said. "I go out there and prove it. If it's about the money then I could just pack it in and not go out there and give my best effort. But I plan to be the best person possible in this locker room, be the best leader possible and as well as dominating on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. So that kind of mindset remaining and being displayed on those days when not everyone's watching that really shows you what it's all about. Giving everything for those kind of wins and what I've done year in, year out, that really proves it to the fans."
Garrett said he expects to finish his career with the Browns.
"That's always my plan," he said. "From the very beginning, I've wanted to stay with the team that I was drafted with and I've always said before I wanted to bring a championship here so that that's something that's meant a lot to me even when I was coming from high school to college, being that one team guy and having a place that feels like home.
"You ingrained yourself in the community and the Canton part sounds great," he said. "Players want to be in the Hall of Fame. That's a tremendous individual award, but the communities and cities remember championships and that's what I want to do.
"I'm glad to be here and I'm glad to have supported Cleveland and for those who may have taken a step back, like I said, I continue to change their opinions from my play and what I continue to do day in and day out."
Garrett said he's all in with the Browns and will do whatever he can to help the Browns win a championship.
"It's going to take everything and whatever it takes, I'm willing to give, I want to be a winner," he said. "I want to bring a championship back to Cleveland, so whether that's going out, recruiting, whether it's staying late, that's mentoring to young guys. Just whatever it takes, I'm going to do it all because I don't want to come back here and know the same way we did after the last season. No, I don't want that feeling ever again. I want to feel like we're taking more and more strides to that promised land."
Russell Wilson was visiting with the Browns on Wednesday and Garrett was in the building. Garrett was asked what his recruiting pitch to Wilson was.
"I won't take it to the ground three or four times a year".