The Cleveland Browns were as injured as any team in the NFL last season, which Myles Garrett believes cost the organization its first Super Bowl trip in franchise history.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year appeared on ESPN’s First Take Friday, February 9, where Stephen A. Smith asked him what would be different if injuries to so many key players hadn’t stacked up and conspired against the Browns’ already impressive regular-season run.
“I think if we stay healthy, there’s no reason we’re not playing this Sunday. And, you know, it hurts every time I think about [Deshaun Watson] getting hurt, [Nick] Chubb getting hurt and other big injuries that we had,” Garrett said. “But I’m proud of the men I had in the room. I’m proud of the brotherhood that we created from training camp all throughout the season and everything we had to fight through, the adversity that we saw. It was awesome to see how those guys rallied.”
Browns Beat 49ers & Ravens During Regular Season, 2 of NFL’s Final 4 Teams
No Super Bowl run is easy and none come without some luck, be it in the form of injury or otherwise. Thus, to assume that a healthy Browns team moves through a stacked AFC that saw the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens in the championship game remains a considerable assumption.
Still, Cleveland’s body of work suggests the team would have had a legitimate chance. The Browns split the season series with the Ravens, winning in Baltimore by a score of 33-31. Watson sustained the shoulder injury that would eventually end his season during that game, but still went on to pass for 213 yards and a TD in the victory.
The Browns also bested the San Francisco 49ers, who will represent the NFC in Las Vegas on Sunday, at home in Week 5 by a score of 19-17. That victory came with backup quarterback PJ Walker under center, who threw two interceptions in a game won largely by Cleveland’s defense.
The First Take crew asked Garrett to tap into the success his unit had against the Niners in the context of how the Chiefs can slow San Francisco down.
“They gotta be real physical with em’. They gotta be physical at the receiver position and knock em’ off the line of scrimmage,” Garrett said. “If you let [George] Kittle get free, I think that’s the X-factor for them. … Us up front, we were able to have some success getting [Brock] Purdy off his spot, knocking those guys back, eliminating the run game. After that, make Purdy win the game, and make him win it outside the pocket. And that made it real difficult for em’.”
Myles Garrett Has Been Among Best NFL Defenders for Most of His 7-Year Career, Including 2023
Whatever reasons Cleveland doesn’t find itself playin in the 2024 Super Bowl — injuries, roster deficiencies, coaching issues or some combination of all three — Garrett’s play was in no way the problem.
The defensive end finished the year with 30 quarterback hits, 17 tackles for loss and 14 sacks, per Pro Football Reference. He also forced four fumbles, broke up three passes and blocked a field goal attempt in a win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Garrett also earned Pro Bowl honors for the fourth consecutive year and fifth time in his seven-year NFL career. The league named him a first-team All Pro in 2023, which was also the fifth time he’s been first- or second-team during his professional tenure.
