Myles Garrett capped a rollercoaster 2025 season with a milestone for the ages, breaking the NFL single-season sack record.
After an offseason that included a trade request and a new contract extension, Garrett reached 23 sacks in his 17th game, surpassing the 22.5 sacks set by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan in 2001 and later tied by T.J. Watt in 2021.
For those nitpicking about era differences, Garrett’s feat is remarkable even in context: Browns opponents ran 540 pass plays in 2025, compared to 567 for Strahan’s Giants in 16 games and 557 for Watt’s Steelers in 15 games. By that measure, Garrett was arguably even more efficient than his predecessors.
“Records are meant to be broken,” Garrett said, celebrating the accomplishment alongside his new partnership with Jordan Brand.
While Cleveland missed the playoffs five weeks ago, the 2025 season gives fans plenty to cheer for. Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders led the team in passing yards, Quinshon Judkins paced the Browns in rushing with seven touchdowns in just 14 games, tight end Harold Fannin Jr. set franchise rookie receiving records, and linebacker Carson Schwesinger led all NFL rookies in tackles.
The collective impact of Cleveland’s rookies is historic: the 2025 Browns are the first team since the 1970 merger to have a rookie lead them in passing, rushing, receiving, and tackles in a single season.
If awards go as expected, Garrett is a near-lock for Defensive Player of the Year, while Schwesinger could win Defensive Rookie of the Year. That would make the 2025 Browns only the fourth team in NFL history to claim both honors in the same season, joining the 2013 Ravens (Ray Lewis & Terrell Suggs), the 1981 Giants (Lawrence Taylor twice), and the 1974 Steelers (Mean Joe Greene & Jack Lambert).
Cleveland may not have made the playoffs, but the 2025 campaign could be the foundation for something special.
