Across the Field: Browns DE Myles Garrett Trying to Regain Wind After COVID-19

Cleveland Browns leading pass rusher Myles Garrett got off to a fast start this season. Then he was hit by COVID-19.

Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett seemed well on his way to recording his best season yet as a pass rusher, having logged 9.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits through nine games.

But then on November 20, came word that Garrett had tested positive for COVID-19 virus, and just like that, he went from being an impact maker to a spectator.

The COVID-19 virus has been one of the most unpredictable illnesses for scientists and researchers to track, mainly because it seems to affect different people in different ways. For Garrett, the virus not only caused him to miss two games, but it also affected his respiratory system.

Garrett revealed that he’s still undergoing breathing treatments and various conditioning exercises to improve his wind. Still, he added that he has no idea how long it will be until he feels the way he did before contracting the virus.

“Physically strength wise, I feel normal,” he told reporters this week. “It is just about trying not to gas out too early and trying to pace myself, knowing that it can jump on me really quickly.”

To that end, Garrett said he’s turned up his weightlifting because he wants to end each day, having felt as though he’s made progress in his return to being 100%.

He’s also hoping that people who believe that they are immune to the virus just because they’re young and otherwise healthy look at what he went through and realize that the virus doesn’t only affect older people or those with prior health conditions.

“I just think people are so caught up in conspiracies and trying to downplay it that they do not actually see that it can be serious in different ways,” Garrett said.

“Talk about how there are not many cases of people dying from it, but that is not all it is about. There are cases of people having the mental illnesses just as an effect of COVID, heart problems, lung issues and being hospitalized for days and weeks on end. 

"There are so many things that come with being diagnosed with COVID or testing positive for COVID. You have to take it seriously. This is something that is going stay with you for a while – you do not know how long – but you just have to take care of yourself and do what you have to do to stay healthy.”

Garrett has been diligent in working to regain his wind. Still, since returning to action two weeks ago against the Titans, he’s had just five combined tackles, one sack, and one quarterback hit in that span, but he’s hoping that the further out he gets from having had the virus, the more he’ll start to look like his old self.

He’s hoping that might happen this weekend against the Giants, a team that last week gave up eight quarterback sacks against Arizona, five to Hassan Reddick.

“Yeah, if we make it happen,” Garrett. “They only had eight sacks because they earned the right to rush the passer by stopping the run. They did it well, and they were able to get them in downs where they had to throw the ball. It could be those short check-downs and they have to spread it out. Those are long-developing plays, and they have guys make plays, especially (Cardinals LB Hassan) Reddick. He was on fire. You see something like there, you are like, ‘Hell, what can I make happen?’”

The Giants probably don’t want to find out.

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