Myles Garrett Just Delivered the Most Dominant Defensive Season in NFL History
Back in June during OTAs, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz didn’t hold back when asked about Myles Garrett’s massive four-year contract extension. He went straight to the point - and even brought Spider-Man into it.
“I really think Myles is going to have the best season of his career - and has to, right?” Schwartz said.
“I’ve told him before, what’s that Spider-Man quote? ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’
That’s with the big contract, with the notoriety that came along with that... there’s always pressure in this league, but probably a little bit more so.”
Fast forward to the end of the 2025 season, and Garrett didn’t just meet those expectations - he shattered them. He led a Cleveland defense that forced offenses to completely rethink their game plans and, in the process, rewrote the NFL record books.
A Sack Record That Rewrites the Script
Garrett’s 2025 campaign was nothing short of historic. In Week 18, with the Browns battling the Bengals, Garrett delivered his defining moment.
Lined up against Orlando Brown Jr., he hit the Pro Bowl tackle with a move that left him grasping at air. Seconds later, Joe Burrow was on the turf.
That sack - Garrett’s 23rd of the season - pushed him past Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt for the most sacks in a single NFL season.
Think about that for a second. Strahan’s record had stood since 2001.
Watt tied it in 2021. And now Garrett stands alone atop the list - not just as a dominant pass rusher, but as the most productive sack artist in league history.
And He Did It Without Needing the Extra Game
There’s always been a caveat when it comes to modern NFL records: the 17-game schedule. Critics are quick to point out that records set now come with an asterisk.
But Garrett didn’t need that extra time. He reached 23 sacks with fewer pass-rush opportunities than either Strahan or Watt had during their record-setting seasons.
That’s where the advanced metrics come in - specifically, ESPN’s Seth Walder and his “Real MVP” rankings, which aim to measure a player’s total value relative to their position. Garrett didn’t just make the list - he cracked the top 10. The only defensive player to do so.
A Full-Season Wrecking Ball
Garrett’s sack total is the headline, but the rest of his stat line reads like a cheat code. He led the league with 33 tackles for loss and added 39 quarterback hits. Oh, and he became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 100 career sacks along the way.
It wasn’t just that he beat offensive tackles - he overwhelmed them. Week after week, Garrett forced offenses to send extra help his way, slide protection, and design entire game plans around slowing him down. Most of the time, it didn’t work.
This wasn’t just dominance. It was disruption on a historic level. Garrett didn’t just win matchups - he broke the sport for 18 weeks.
A Defensive MVP in a Quarterback World
Let’s be honest - the AP MVP award has essentially become a quarterback coronation. If you’re not under center and leading a top-seeded team, you’re not getting that trophy. So, despite Garrett’s record-breaking season, he didn’t crack the list of official MVP finalists.
But Schwartz has been saying it for years - an elite edge rusher can be just as valuable as a top-tier quarterback. And Garrett proved it.
He didn’t just have a great year. He had the kind of year that defines a career.
A new NFL sack record. Another Defensive Player of the Year award.
And a top-10 spot on the “Real MVP” list that reflects his true value to the Browns and to the game.
The Legacy Season
What Myles Garrett did in 2025 wasn’t just about numbers - it was about impact. He changed how offenses operated, how coordinators schemed, and how fans viewed defensive excellence. He brought a level of dominance that forced the national spotlight to finally catch up to what Cleveland has known for years.
Myles Garrett isn’t just the best defensive player in the league right now - he’s one of the most valuable players in the history of the sport. And in 2025, he gave us a season we’ll be talking about for a long, long time.