DE Myles Garrett had always planned on playing his entire NFL career for the team that drafted him.
He has played the first eight years of his NFL career with the Browns after they selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He'll play the next five seasons in Cleveland following his contract extension that runs through the 2030 season.
"I've always wanted to end my career here," Garrett said. "The team I started with, I wanted to end with. And with the contract now, that'll likely be how things go for as long as they'll have me. I'm glad to be here, and I'm glad to have supported Cleveland."
As Garrett sat behind the podium on March 14 to speak on the historic contract extension, Garrett also addressed the trade request he made on Feb. 3, and how over the following month, his mindset shifted to come to the agreement on the 4-year contract extension.
"Just having constant communication with the team, with (Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry) and just management in general," Garrett said. "Talking about the plans and the future of this team, and how we can turn this around and turn Cleveland into a winner as soon as possible."
Following the end of a disappointing 2024 season in which the Browns went 3-14, Garrett completed the standard exit interviews with the front office. Berry had said at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine the organization was aware of the possibility of the request following the season because of conversations they had with Garrett and his camp.
Even after the trade request and the offseason continued, both sides continued to have discussions. Through those conversations, Garrett said they talked about the plans for the future of the Browns; over time, those plans were developed and reinforced as different moves happened around the league and the outlook on the draft has taken shape.
But Garrett didn't just have discussions with the front office. He reached out to Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas for his opinion on the situation with the understanding of where Garrett was at in his career. He talked with current teammates, including some of the leaders among the locker room as well as his position room. Garrett said the remarks from his teammates about the appeal of coming back and the minor tweaks they could make to improve played an important part in his decision.
He also had conversations with defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire about how they can get the most out of their defensive line. Whether that's through certain plays they could run or elements to tweak in order to unleash the talent of all their players, those discussions made Garrett hopeful with Cesaire's optimism about their unit and the outlook on the development of the position group.
Myles Garrett returns to CrossCountry Mortgage Campus to sign his 4-year contract extension with the Browns.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) after his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and his family before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
General Manager Andrew Berry during Defensive end Myles Garrett's press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and his family before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and his family before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and Nicole Lynn in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and his family before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Dinosaur cupcakes during Defensive end Myles Garrett's press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Dinosaur models during Defensive end Myles Garrett's press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) and Manager of Communications Dom Page before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during Defensive end Myles Garrett's press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) speaks to the media for his contract extension press conference in the Dino Lucarelli Media Center at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) signs his contract at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) before his contract extension press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on March 14, 2025.
As Garrett reflected on his decision to make his trade request public, he didn't regret the decision because it helped lead to those more thorough conversations – which eventually shifted Garrett's desire to stay with Cleveland. That communication allowed Garrett to understand clearer what Berry is building and how he can play a part in having his teammates on board with the goals and the message.
"I had some frustration, and I feel like that helped us grow and have conversations that were difficult, but needed to be had," Garrett said. "It created a little more discourse. It helped build some relationships and reaffirm them. And now I feel like we are in a better place, and now we can move on and grow from there."
Garrett said following the season, he took some time away to consider all the aspects of his future. Because of the frustrations he felt from the outcome of the 2024 season, he wanted to decompress in order to come back in a clearer headspace. While that originally led to the decision to request the trade, it also later provided him the clarity to understand the vision and to buy in long term.
With that understanding, Garrett is fully committed to doing his part in helping take the Browns to the next level and reach the goal he's always dreamed of – bringing a Super Bowl to Cleveland.
"It's going to take everything and whatever it takes, I'm willing to give," Garrett said. "I want to be a winner. I want to bring a championship back to Cleveland. So, whether that's going out and recruiting, whether that's staying late, that's mentoring the young guys, just whatever it takes, I'm going to do it all. Because I don't want to come back here the same way we did after last season. I don't want that feeling ever again. I want to feel like we're taking more and more strides to that promised land."
