Daniel Oyefusi
Jeff Legwold
Jeff Legwold
ESPN Senior Writer
Jeff Legwold covers the Denver Broncos at ESPN. He has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years and also assists with NFL draft coverage, joining ESPN in 2013. He has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999, too. Jeff previously covered the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans at previous stops prior to ESPN.
Since entering the NFL as the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has perennially been one of the league’s best players.
This season, he’s on the brink of the record books, though. Garrett has recorded a career-high 18 sacks in 11 games, including 14 in the past five. With six games remaining in the regular season, Garrett is five sacks away from breaking the single-season sack record of 22.5 that is shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and current Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt.
Garrett’s 18 sacks are more than three teams have this season (Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers). The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year (and overwhelming favorite to win the award this season), Garrett has turned in a potentially historic season, even with the Browns’ continued struggles on offense and the franchise headed for its seventh losing season since he was drafted.
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In February, Garrett requested a trade in hopes of landing with a contending team. In March, he recommitted to the organization with a then-record-setting extension that averages $40 million per year. Less than 10 months later, Garrett, who turns 30 on Dec. 29, is on the verge of smashing the record that Strahan set in 2001 and Watt equaled in 2021.
Elsewhere, the Denver Broncos have 49 sacks in 11 games, putting them on pace to break the single-season team record of 72 sacks, set by the Chicago Bears in 1984. It has been a team effort for the Broncos, who have five players with four or more sacks. Edge rusher Nik Bonitto leads the way with 9.5, followed by edge Jonathon Cooper (7.5) and defensive tackle Zach Allen (6).
We’re tracking Garrett and the Broncos in their quests to take down quarterbacks. Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi is sizing up where things stand with Garrett heading into Cleveland’s matchup on Sunday against the visiting 49ers (1 p.m. ET, CBS), while Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold will clock in after Denver plays at the Washington Commanders on Sunday (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC):
Where things stand for Garrett (18 sacks through 11 games)
What Garrett would need to do to break the record: Garrett is on pace for 27 sacks, a number that would not only shatter the current record of 22.5, but would get Garrett the record at or before the 16th game, which was the season length when Strahan originally set the mark. In his most recent game, Garrett recorded three sacks against the Raiders to get to 18, which not only set a career high, but also broke his previous Browns franchise record. Garrett’s pace gives him some wiggle room for a down afternoon or two, but he hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. His next matchup is top left tackle Trent Williams and a 49ers team that has allowed the eighth-fewest sacks in the league this season (19).
Key stats and trends on Garrett’s sack-happy season: Garrett’s 14 sacks in his past five games are the most by any player in a five-game span since sacks became an official stat in 1982, per ESPN Research.
What we’re hearing on his season: “The last four games, I don’t even think about it. I’m just thinking about the next one now, how we can put it all together and do it again. And hopefully, I’ll sit down and take a moment to hear my family, they can help me rationalize it and see it for what it is. But I can’t tell you how much I’m really just proud of this team and how we responded.” — Garrett said after his three-sack performance in the Browns’ Week 12 win against the Raiders
Garrett’s performance: Garrett’s three-sack game headlined a 10-sack performance for the Browns’ swarming pass rush, giving him his career high and bettering the franchise record he previously established in 2021 and 2022.
“I won’t try to delay [breaking the record], but I want it to come in a win,” Garrett said after the game.
Garrett’s performance: Garrett’s four sacks tied an NFL record, giving him 10 sacks over a three-game span. He also became the first player in league history to record at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons — breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor — and the fourth player in league history to log four sacks in multiple games in a season.
Garrett’s performance: Garrett added another sack, giving him the second-most sacks (11) by a Browns player after 10 weeks — he recorded 13 sacks through the first 10 weeks of the 2021 season.
Week 9 Browns’ bye week
Garrett entered the Browns’ bye with 10 sacks, tied with the New York Giants’ Brian Burns for the most in the NFL. Despite trade rumors and speculation surrounding Garrett, who has a no-trade clause, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline that there is “no chance” the Browns consider dealing Garrett.
Garrett’s performance: In the most impressive single-game performance in his career and Browns history, Garrett registered five sacks. Garrett also surpassed Hall of Famer Reggie White (108 sacks) for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30 since 1982.
However, the performance was diminished by another lopsided defeat, as Garrett sulked on the bench in the game’s final minutes.
“I would throw the whole performance away for a win,” Garrett said.
Myles Garrett sitting alone at the end of the bench amid his best statistical game, 5 sacks. But the Browns are 2 min away from dropping to 2-6 for the second straight year with the bye week approaching. pic.twitter.com/vagRGvHTFr
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) October 26, 2025
Garrett’s performance: He ended his three-game drought, registering one sack as the Browns also snapped a three-game losing streak.
Garrett’s performance: For the third straight game, Garrett didn’t record a sack, sparking him to call for a change to the defensive game plan.
“At the end of the day, offenses’ sole game plan for the most part is how to stop 95,” Garrett said days later. “And we have to do something to change that, to make adjustments to get me matchups just like other edge rushers around the league, so I can have that same kind of effect, because I feel like I’m that kind of player.”
Garrett’s performance: He was held without a sack for the second consecutive game, as well as a season-low 6.3% pressure rate.
Garrett’s performance: He was held without a sack for the first time this season. He still accounted for five pressures and two quarterback hits.
Garrett’s performance: He recorded only a half-sack as the Browns secured their first victory of the season, but he was still impactful. Garrett recorded multiple pressures in a game for the 94th time in his career, breaking a tie with Watt for the second most since ESPN began tracking the stat in 2006.
Garrett’s performance: The veteran followed up his season debut with a 1.5-sack performance against the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Garrett, though, was in no mood to reflect on his individual game after a blowout loss that he called “embarrassing.”
Garrett’s performance: Garrett began his march toward history with a two-sack performance against the Bengals and Joe Burrow, the quarterback he has taken down the most in his career (11 sacks). It marked Garrett’s 23rd career game with multiple sacks.
