Myles Garrett etched his name into the NFL record book on Sunday, delivering a historic performance that capped Cleveland’s season and redefined defensive dominance in the modern era.
Late in the fourth quarter of the Browns’ 20-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals with just over five minutes remaining, Garrett brought down quarterback Joe Burrow for his 23rd sack of the season, establishing a new single-season NFL record. Burrow has been Garrett’s most frequent target, with Sunday’s sack marking the 12th time Garrett has taken down the Bengals quarterback, more than any other signal-caller he has faced. Garrett’s milestone surpassed the previous mark of 22.5 sacks, a total first set by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan in 2001 and later matched by Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt in 2021.
The record-breaking play came after Garrett was kept off the sack sheet for most of the afternoon — and after a quiet Week 17 against Pittsburgh. On Sunday, Garrett finally broke through, slipping past left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to secure Burrow. As the crowd erupted at Paycor Stadium, Garrett briefly celebrated before being mobbed by teammates.
The achievement capped a season that saw Garrett record four sacks over the first six games before erupting for 18 sacks across a nine-game span. That surge included a five-sack performance against New England and a four-sack outing versus Baltimore. He reached the 20-sack threshold in Week 14, becoming just the 13th player to do so since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
Te 2023 Defensive Player of the Year and the top pick in the 2017 draft also made history with his consistency, becoming the first player to post at least 12 sacks in six straight seasons and the only one with eight consecutive years of double-digit sacks. With 125.5 career sacks, Garrett now ranks second among players in their first nine seasons, surpassing Reggie White for the most sacks by any player under age 30.
While Garrett’s milestone headlined the day, Cleveland also delivered a dramatic finish. The Browns jumped out to a 14-6 lead thanks to two defensive touchdowns — a 97-yard interception return by Devin Bush and a 47-yard fumble return by Sam Webb. Cincinnati rallied behind touchdown catches from Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, briefly taking a one-point lead in the fourth quarter after a failed two-point conversion attempt. That set the stage for a final Cleveland drive. Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders converted two critical third downs to move the Browns into range, and kicker Andre Szmyt sealed the win with a 49-yard field goal as time expired. Sanders finished 11-of-22 for 111 yards, while Burrow threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns despite the costly interception. Chase caught eight passes for 96 yards, and Higgins added six receptions for 67 yards and a score.
The win closed a challenging season for Cleveland, which finished 5-12 and out of playoff contention. While tTe Browns enter the offseason amid expected coaching changes, Garrett stands firmly atop the league’s defensive elite after signing a four-year, $160 million extension earlier this year.
Editorial credit: D’Avril Grant / Shutterstock.com
