The Cleveland Browns clinched a playoff berth with their win over the New York Jets on Thursday night, but the victory meant even more to Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett.
After the game, Garrett revealed he was playing with a heavy heart, as his uncle passed away earlier in the week.
“Lost a loved one,” Garrett said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “Lost him on Christmas night. I heard the next day and I just haven’t really known how to deal with it. I just talked to my sibling, my mother, making sure that she was okay. It was her brother. And just dealing with how it’s been affecting me physically and emotionally. I’m not one to really wear it on my face too often, but it’s taking its toll in different ways and just keeping my head to the sky and trying to stay focused. I know that’s what he’d want me to do and that’s what my mother wants me to do.”
Garrett ended up logging his first sack since mid-November in the 37-20 victory, adding three tackles. So even with everything he was dealing with, the star pass rusher was still able to deliver.
But it wasn’t easy for Garrett, who said he “felt a little bit of lack of focus, like I was in a fog” during the game.
“I kind of left it up to my mother and if she needed me, I’d have been gone in a second,” Garrett said. “And football is great. I love this team, I love the Browns, but I only got one mom. I’m hopefully going to have many more games, many more years, but there was only one CJ, and there’s only one mom. If she needed me, I’m always going to be there for her, just like she is for me.”
Myles Garrett, who turned 28 years old on Friday, is in the midst of another spectacular season. Through 16 games, he has racked up 42 tackles, 14 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery and seems well on his way to a fourth straight Pro Bowl appearance (and fifth overall).
The Texas A&M product was taken by the Browns with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then, he has established himself as one of the best players in football.
Cleveland improved to 11-5 with its win over the Jets and assured itself of at least a Wild Card berth. The Browns will take on the Cincinnati Bengals next week to wrap up the regular season.
This marks only the third time since 2003 that Cleveland has qualified for the playoffs.
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