One of my first football memories was watching Super Bowl 31. In that game, Packers defensive end Reggie White took over the game with consecutive sacks in the second half. He finished with three sacks and had another key pressure that forced an interception. Watching that game I realized how much a pass rusher can ruin an opposing offense. Browns fans get to witness one of the best in the game, Myles Garrett, on a weekly basis. Garrett already has 19 sacks this year, and over 120 on his career, putting him in elite company.
When you think of the all time great pass rushers, some names come to mind. Bruce Smith, Julius Peppers, Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney, and Lawrence Taylor to name a few. Most had an elite trait they were known for. The speed of Taylor, the athleticism of Peppers, and the longevity of Smith and Freeney. They also usually had a season or two that really cemented their legacy. Garrett may well be in the middle of his signature season. Taylor had 20-1/2 sacks and won the Super Bowl in the 1986 season. Allen had a 22 in 2011 on a Vikings team that went 3-13. While Peppers never had more than 14.5 sacks in a single season, he had a double digit sack season with 11 sacks in his age 37 season with Carolina. Freeney also played into his late thirties.
Myles Garrett would be what you would come up with if a scientist was tasked with creating the perfect pass rusher in a lab. He combines the speed of Lawrence Taylor with the athleticism of Julius Peppers, plus the potential for longevity of White, Freeney and Smith. Garrett is equal parts athletic freak and pass rush savant, combining a deep bag of tricks with elite measureables.
Garrett has 121.50 career sacks. The all time leader, Bruce Smith, has 200. Garrett’s 17 game average of 16 sacks would project him breaking the record sometime in his age 35 season. Factoring in injury and performance decline, I think Garrett will break the record sometime in his age 37 or 38 season. Garrett will have to stay healthy and want to break the record for it to happen.
We are all lucky to witness the career of Myles Garrett. From being the first round pick to leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2020 after an 18 year drought, and winning Defensive player of the year in 2023, it has been quite a journey.
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