Cleveland Browns Star Myles Garrett Shares Source Of Extra Motivation In Week 1

The Browns open up the 2024 campaign against Garrett's hometown team the Dallas Cowboys

Aug 5, 2024; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at the Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Whether you call them America's Team, the star or just the Dallas Cowboys, playing against arguably the biggest brand in football always comes with a little extra juice.

That's something Myles Garrett knows all too well. The Cleveland Browns star defensive end is Texas native, and while he may don orange and brown these days, he – like many kids growing up in the lone star state – had an eye for the navy, silver and white of the Dallas Cowboys first.

“Just a little bit," Garrett said with a little devious grin when asked if playing against his hometown team came with a little extra motivation. "It's always special going against your home team, definitely going to have some family up there – some wearing blue, some wearing brown. But
that kind of stuff, man, it's amazing.”

Here was #Browns DE Myles Garrett (with a devious grin) talking about how playing his hometown #Cowboys comes with a little extra meaning for him pic.twitter.com/qzh849cwgz

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) September 6, 2024

This will mark the second time in Garrett's career that he'll have a chance to suit up against the team he cheered for growing up. The first time they squared off was an absolute thriller in 2020, with Garrett's Brownscoming out on top in a 49-38 shootout in Dallas. Former Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr. went off for three touchdowns in the win. Garrett posted two sacks in the game.

Four years later the stage shifts to Cleveland in a prime 4:25 p.m. Sunday kickoff, with Tom Brady on his the first television broadcast of his new career. As Garret knows, the Cowboys will always bring that type of fanfare to town, wherever they play. And even though his family is split on who they may be cheering for, it means a lot to him to share the moment with those he grew up watching football with.

"I mean, grew up a fan, grew up in the blue and white," he said. "I wasn't the biggest football fan growing up, but I would make sure to sit there with my family, whether it was on Thanksgiving or throughout the week with my dad. I've got fond memories of watching this team and so being able to play against this team and create those memories, not only for myself on the field, but seeing the smiling faces of my family afterwards, seeing my dad, seeing my parents. That's what makes it special. Being able to share that with them, knowing that we've had these different memories and now they've kind of evolved into this. That's the kind of stuff that I cherish."

That's not all Garrett hopes to be cherishing on Sunday though. He wants to win, and perhaps put on a show individually in the process.

"I would cherish some great plays on Sunday, as well," the reigning Defensive Player of the Year added.