Myles Garrett Reveals Truth Behind Re-Signing With Browns

Myles Garrett addressed his decision to re-sign with the Cleveland Browns after making a very public trade request last month

Spencer German | Mar 14, 2025

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett spoke Friday, March 14, 2025, at team headquarters in Berea, Ohio, about signing a historic contract extension. Garrett loves dinosaurs, so his media availability had a theme. / Nate Ulrich / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Myles Garrett had a pretty simple answer for how he and the Cleveland Browns can reconcile their relationship after his very public trade request earlier this offseason.

"Just like family, sometimes you fight and you have to go through things, you have to build through adversity and we’ll get through this, and we’ll come out right on the other side," Garrett explained during a 20-minute press conference on Friday.

The NFL is a business at the end of the day. It's not meant to be taken personally when either side chooses to pursue a split. This situation felt unprecedented, though.

Garrett spent a week on radio row at the Super Bowl, and several weeks afterward, making it clear that his trade request was not simply about getting paid, which is usually the case when players use that card.

He was adamant that his only motivation was playing for a Super Bowl contender, something he believed the Browns were not.

Then, last Sunday, Garrett shocked the NFL world by agreeing to a four-year extension with the franchise that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in football at a rate of $40 million per year.

The deal includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money and keeps him tied to the Browns through 2030. It essentially guarantees that the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year will be here leading into the limelight of his career.

It was an unexpected reversal by Garrett, but it ultimately ended in a totally expected way: with Garrett signing a record-breaking deal. Despite what it looks like, Garrett remained adamant that it wasn't about a payday.

“Just having constant communication with the team, with [general manager, Andrew Berry], management in general, 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," said Garrett.

"Knowing that [Berry] has a plan on what this team and this offense will look like going forward, and he’s going to put the best offense possible out there. He’s going to get a QB that we all continue to have faith in and we’re going to go out and do our thing on defense.”

As Garrett admitted, frustrations were running high back in January at the conclusion of a 3-14 campaign. He made his trade request known to the team much earlier than when it became public in early February.

Through it all, Berry exuded a curious confidence that Garrett would be back and they'd work out their differences. Several months into formulating a more detailed plan for the team's future and the quarterback position, he proved to be right.

Now he's got Garrett back on board and the events of the last month-plus can be put to bed. That may be easier said than done, however, for Browns fans who expressed frustrations of their own over the way Garrett handled this situation.

Garrett believes he can win Cleveland over again.

"I think the fans will see that my heart’s in the right place," he said. "It’s never been about money. It’s always been about winning. And that’s where my frustration lies.

"I’m glad to be here, and I’m glad to have supported Cleveland. And for those who may have taken a step back, like I said, I’ll continue to change their opinions with my play and what I continue to do day in and day out.”

Time does tend to heal all wounds, and now that he's sticking around, the six-time Pro Bowler will have plenty of time to smooth things over with the Cleveland faithful.

Garrett made it known that he didn't pick up on much of the backlash from fans while the situation played out nationally. He also stood firm on the fact that he had no regrets about the way he handled things because it got him to this very moment.

Whether it was the money or Berry revealing a more detailed offseason plan, Garrett seems to have uncovered what's most important to him.

“I’ve wanted to stay with the team that I was drafted with," said Garrett. "And I’ve always wanted to bring a championship here. So that’s something that’s meant a lot to me. Even when I was coming from high school to college, being that one team guy and having a place that feels like home, you ingrain yourself in the community.

"And the Canton part sounds great [too]. Players want to be in the Hall of Fame. That’s a tremendous individual reward. But communities and cities remember championships, and that’s what I want to do."

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