Browns Boast 2 Leaders In Early Pro Bowl Fan Voting
Where would the Browns be without DE Myles Garrett and K Dustin Hopkins in 2023?
Probably not 9-5 and near the top of the AFC playoff race. Both players have been perhaps the top two MVPs of the Browns’ adversity-filled season so far, and both of them are on track to receive Pro Bowl recognition for doing so.
Both players are the leading vote-getters at their respective positions for the AFC in Pro Bowl voting, with the fan-vote set to end on Dec. 25. Official rosters will be announced at the end of the month.
If Garrett hangs on, he’ll secure his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl season and fifth of his career. He’s totaled 13 sacks — his sixth straight season with a double-digit sack total — and has four forced fumbles and has continued to be one of the most impactful edge rushers in the game, which has put him near the top of the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.
Dec 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates after the Browns beat the Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski rarely singles out individual player performances, but he went out of his way Monday to offer effusive praise to Garrett.
“The way Myles is playing is unbelievable,” he said. “If I can, I’ll get on the soapbox here for a second, but he’s the best player on the best defense in the league right now. And go put the tape on, watch play number four and watch how he – it’s a gain of three, but watch how they try to block him. He won’t be denied, gets the guy on the ground.
“And I think what happens with our game, we get so wrapped up in sacks, he makes a play on a crack toss late in the game that loses six yards. And if it’s a sack, people think it adds to the statistics or whatever. He’s dominant as a defensive player, so he’s the defensive player of the year. I don’t think it’s close, and he’s going to finish strong for this football team.”
Hopkins is plenty deserving of the votes, too — he’s delivered four game-winning kicks for the Browns this season. He’s also been the best and hardest-working kicker in the league, leading all kickers with 33 successful field goals on a league-high 36 attempts.
Without Hopkins’ leg, the Browns might not have finished close wins over the 49ers, Ravens, Colts and Bears, and he’s continued to kick well despite dealing with the tricky weather that often terrorizes kickers in Cleveland every December.
Don’t forget: Garrett, Hopkins and any other Browns players who get voted to Orlando won’t be playing in an actual game. The league moved away from playing a game last year and instead switched to making Pro Bowl weekend about skills competitions, instead. They unveiled which competitions will be in the format earlier Wednesday, too.
Garrett, for what it’s worth, “retired” from the Pro Bowl Games last year after dislocating his toe during one of the games.
Fans can continue voting here while polls are still open.
