When he made his trade request public on Feb. 3 ahead of the Super Bowl and went on a media tour stating his displeasure with the Cleveland Browns and wanting to move on and compete for a title elsewhere, it seemed right then and there that the Myles Garrett era on the shores of Lake Erie was over.
Then, a few months later, Garrett agreed to a record four-year, $160 million extension with the Browns, making him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history at $40 million per year with $123.5 million in guaranteed money.
Speaking to reporters Friday in Cleveland after signing his extension, Garrett stated that he doesn’t regret the trade request going public and the fallout that occurred and that it was never about money.
“That media row run, that created more discourse between myself and management. That created conversation between myself and AB [GM Andrew Berry], [owner] Jimmy [Haslam] and up and down the chain, that kind of stuff became a main variable for this deal getting done,” Garrett said when asked about his comments and how the request played out, according to video via the Browns’ YouTube page. “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, and that’s where my frustration lies.”
Within Garrett’s trade request, he stated that he has a “desire to win” and didn’t believe he could do that in Cleveland.
“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 wrote in his statement requesting a trade from the Browns. “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.”
During the NFL’s Scouting Combine, reports surfaced that Garrett would be open to a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. But, a few hours later that report was shot down by the same reporter, who then reported that Garrett’s agent “slammed the door” on any potential extension talk and reiterated his desire to be traded from the Browns.
Across eight seasons with the Browns, Garrett has put together a Hall of Fame resume, recording 102.5 sacks and becoming the youngest player in NFL history to 100 career sacks.
Throughout the process, Garrett’s camp reiterated that it was not about the money, but ultimately it became about the money as Garrett seemingly chose a record extension over trying to push forward on the path to try and win elsewhere.
