CLEVELAND, Ohio — [Browns](https://www.cleveland.com/browns/) defensive end Myles Garrett took questions from reporters on Tuesday regarding Mason Graham, Nick Chubb, Aaron Rodgers, and more.
Below is the transcript as provided by the Browns media relations department:
**So how does it feel to be back in the building?**
“Feels good. I mean, I’ve been back here a couple of times. Don’t really make my presence aware until you all are here.”
**Jim Schwartz said he expect the best season out of you in 2025. And he thought it was because some of the stuff from the offseason. The huge contract, everything that went with that. Do you feel that pressure to have your best season?**
“With great power comes great responsibility. So that would make him my Uncle Ben, right? I mean, I look forward to having my best season for sure, and I think it’s trending that way. Been really good, and I think everything’s pointed in that direction. And I like where we are as a defensive unit. It’s really firing, really rolling, and I think it’s really clicking as far as the scheme and the plays, especially early on. That’s big.”
**Do you agree with that sentiment, that with great power comes great responsibility?**
“Yeah, I do. And responsibilities never changed. The power has never changed. Just the day I stepped forth here at this facility, with this organization, I’ve had an opportunity to have a platform and to set a standard. And I gotta continue to be the leader for this team and set that standard.”
**Hey, Myles, when you asked him for that trade, you said that you didn’t think this team was ready to win. That’s why you wanted to be traded. So how do you assess the roster as it is right now?**
“How do I assess it? Well, that’s what minicamp and training camp is for. We assess it every single day. Seeing how guys attack the practice field, how they come in and prepare from day to day. And if they don’t get it, you make them get it. Like I said, being that leader, setting that standard and showing guys how it’s done instead of expecting them to know it. Guys come from different places, come from college, and you got to push them in the right direction. You got to guide them.”
**But do you think this team could be better than you thought it would be?**
“I know they’ll be better. I know we will be better.”
**What are your early impressions of these young quarterbacks? Obviously, we’ve seen them for the past couple months, you got some reps with them today. And just what are your impressions? Seeing them on the field, in the building?**
“Well, I only really saw Dillon (Gabriel) today, as far as getting reps in teams. And he looks composed by running offense pretty well. His eyes got pretty big when I got free and I was face up on him. But all of them look pretty calm. Going through their protection, going through their calls, making the plays they need to make, not doing too much right now, and they’ll have time to continue to display their talents, and it’s just one day at a time. Continue to earn the trust of your coaches and your teammates, and I think they’ll be able to open up the game.”
**You just expressed the utmost confidence that you know this team will be better than you thought it was going to be. So just wondering what’s kind of giving you that feeling at this point?**
“Being here, always staying in communication with the guys, seeing how they’re working, and continue to be a presence, even while I’m not physically here, but I’m back and now it’s time to go.”
**Do you have any conversations with some of the guys, like Denzel (Ward) coming back after the hectic offseason, everything that happened with the trade request and everything like that?**
“Sure. I’ve talked to the guys, and no, they understand it’s a business and we love what we do, and I love this team, and they understand that I was trying to do what’s best for me. And after talking with them, like I said months ago, talking with AB (Andrew Berry) and Kev (Kevin Stefanski), what’s best for me and what’s best for this team, eventually that aligned and we looking forward to the future of this team and how we can achieve the goals that we want to.”
**What’s your message to help get the most out of your teammates? Everyone knows what you can do as an individual, but for you guys to get this thing on track, it has to come from the players. So what can you do to help extract the very best out of your teammates?**
“I think the intensity and the urgency just has to take another level. Take another level up, rather. And I can’t expect someone else to do it or any other side of the ball or any other position room. You know, got to be the leader of the entire team. And, you know, that’s what’s been laid out for me. Like you said, Jimmy (Haslam) said it. You know, Kevin said it. You know, I’ll take the reins and I’ll be that guy.”
**What’s the outgoing message to Nick Chubb as he starts a new chapter?**
“I love Nick. I think a lot of the guys who are in this locker room still feel the same way as I do. It crushes to see him get injured, had to battle through, and then it happened again. So we want the very best for him. Happy to see him still able to play, still able to do his thing. Wanted to see him go back to being the player that he was and have a smile on his face, and continue to ball out.”
**Were you lobbying to get him back?**
“Yeah. That was part of my talks with AB a couple months ago, asking the situation with Nick and how that’s gonna work out and how we can get him back here, because I know he means a lot to the fans, but he means a lot to us as well on the team. So, you know, it’s an emotional blow to not have him here, but we got to keep on moving, keep on trucking. We got some very talented backs in that room, some young, hungry guys who have a hell of an example to watch and some shoes to fill. But he’s one of the best to ever do it in the brown and orange, and we appreciate everything he’s done.”
**You’ve seen him work behind the scenes like most people have. You seen him overcome these injuries. But obviously, there’s going to be questions about what he looks like moving forward. What do you think his future will look like?**
“I won’t put any kind of parameters, expectations, or limits on his future and what he can do, because he’s broken through all the shillings that we set forth for him with the recoveries and injuries that he’s had, how substantial they’ve been, and yet he’s come back, excelled, and been able to play at a high level. It’s tough enough being on an NFL roster to come back being the guy again and toting the rock. He’s special and I hope continue to be that.”
**But how strange would it be to see him find success somewhere else?**
“Is that strange?”
**Wrong way to put it. Mixed feelings, maybe?**
“No. Hoping the best for him. That doesn’t change whether he’s here or anywhere else. You know, if we play him, I hope to punish him, but if seeing him on TV, just playing on Sundays or Mondays, whenever it is, I’m gonna be happy for him because he’s able to play this game. That’s the privilege.”
**Myles, they drafted Mason (Graham) to give you a little help up front. What are your early impressions of him, and what do you think he’s going to be able to do for you?**
“I think he’s hungry. He’s pretty quiet, but I see him watching a lot. I see him learning, and he just really inquisitive you know, staying near to make sure that he hears like every detail and just picking up on things. See him taking things from the meeting room to the playing field, not really asking any questions, but just, you know, naturally picking up on those.
**Myles, I saw you were off on the side sort of talking to Dawand (Jones) a little bit. You guys were talking through some things. Just what are those conversations like and how much can you help him as he tries to adjust to that left tackle spot?**
“Yeah, I mean, he’s just trying to get a bit of my cues, my mindset as far as going against him at that position on that side. And what made me do what move. What triggered this response and this reaction and just try to walk through it with him and, help him get rid of some tendencies that he has on that side and just try to sharpen him up.”
**You mentioned this a little bit, but we talked to Jimmy Haslam at the owner’s meetings and he did say there, this is little different than what Jim Schwartz said, but he did challenge you to step up your leadership and become even more of a leader than you have been, which I think we’ve watched you grow in that area over the years. But do you have more in that space that you feel like you can do? And how did you feel about him saying that?**
“I don’t feel any ways by him saying that. That’s his expectation, his expectation from the beginning. And I think losing a leader like Nick as well, definitely puts more of an expectation on to gain more leadership in other areas. And he pointed at me and put the red dot on me, and that’s fine. I’ll continue to grow as a leader and as a player, which I expect to every year. And I’m gonna do what I can. He gave me that power and, you know, I gotta to be responsible for it.”
**Myles, when you said in that interview, you said you had a vision of the quarterback would be. So did you know that they’re going to go get Joe Flacco”**
“Had an idea.”
**You thought it’d be him?**
“Yeah.”
**You guys had so much fun that year. I mean, what is it like for you to have Joe back? And does that give you, regardless of what happens in the competition, knowing that Joe is in the building, Joe’s in the house, does that give you some excitement, comfort, whatever? How do you feel about?**
“He’s a calm, cool presence in the QB room, which I think you always need when you have young guys in there. I mean, it doesn’t hurt at any time. Even if you have a veteran, there’s someone to give you some sound, insightful advice to help you walk through things. That’s always a great asset. So to have that in the QB room, which is the most important room in the building, that’s great.”
**Aaron Rodgers coming into the AFC North.**
“What do I think about it?”
**Facing him twice a year?**
“I think it’s a good opportunity to put him in the graveyard.”
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