Steelers Now
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett had some choice words for the Pittsburgh Steelers after Sunday’s 13-6 upset.
Garrett thinks the Steelers were more worried about preventing him from setting the NFL single-season sack record than actually getting the win.
“To an extent, I thought they were more worried about keeping me away from Aaron (Rodgers) than getting the win. That’s what came back to bite them,” Garrett said.
Next Gen Stats had Garrett chipped on 41.0% of his pass rush snaps today against the Steelers, which is the eighth-highest rate for an edge rusher in a game this season. Third-highest for a Garrett game this year.
#Browns DE Myles Garrett on the #Browns win vs. the #Steelers:
“They were more worried about keeping me away from Aaron (Rodgers) than getting the win. That’s what came back to bite them.” pic.twitter.com/EOsLNkj9Oj
— Ashly Holder (@AshNoelleTV) December 28, 2025
Garrett came into Sunday’s game with 22.0 sacks. He needed one sack to surpass T.J. Watt and Michael Strahan for the single-season NFL sack record. Watt tied Strahan (22.5 sacks) for the record in 2021.
Despite coming up short, Garrett’s presence affected the Steelers’ offensive game plan. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was cognizant of Garrett all game.
Head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the narrative that Garrett chasing the sack record was in the Steelers’ heads, however.
“We didn’t do anything against Myles that we don’t normally do against Myles,” Tomlin said. “The sack record’s irrelevant. We got to minimize him if we want to engineer victory. We did the same thing the last time we played him. I didn’t think he had any sacks in that game either. We didn’t take a different approach because of the gravity of the record. It’s just standard business when playing these guys and him.”
Rodgers also said the Steelers’ had a similar game plan for Garrett as they did in their Week 6 win over Cleveland.
“We had a similar game plan as the first time. We just executed better in the first game,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers said Garrett breaking the NFL single-season sack record wasn’t on his mind.
Former NFL tight end and Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe disagrees with Tomlin and Rodgers.
“Steelers more concerned about Garrett’s sack highlights and it showed. They lost, but at least Myles didn’t get a sack,” Sharpe wrote on X.
Many others shared Sharpe’s opinion on social media. It was a raging narrative from Sunday’s game.
“Sure seemed like the @steelers were happy to lose the game if it meant keeping@Flash_Garrett from setting the NFL single season sack record. SMH,” former Browns left tackle and Hall of Famer Joe Thomas wrote on X.
Sure seemed like the @steelers were happy to lose the game if it meant keeping @Flash_Garrett from setting the NFL single season sack record. SMH
😒— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) December 28, 2025
Alan Saunders and Brendan Howe provided reporting from Cleveland.
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