Browns star Garrett, on the cusp of 100 sacks, is driven to be the best

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Myles Garrett didn’t know he had joined a prestigious list of defensive stars last week until one of his biggest fans pointed it out to him.

“My dad was hyped about it,” he said.

For good reason.

With three sacks last week in Cleveland’s 24-19 win in prime time over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Garrett became the seventh player to reach double-digit sacks in seven straight seasons since the stat became official in 1982.

The others: Lawrence Taylor (1984-90), Reggie White (1985-93), Bruce Smith (1992-98), John Randle (1992-99), DeMarcus Ware (2006-12) and Jared Allen (2007-13).

All of them is in the Hall of Fame except for Allen.

“Hall of Famer,” Garrett said in praising the retired Minnesota Vikings edge rusher, who is again on the doorstep of induction as a semifinalist for the fifth straight year.

Garrett is on track to get his own bronze bust one day in Canton, but until then, he’s humbled to be in such elite company.

“Guys I looked up to when I started my journey into this game,” said Garrett, who tries to bolster his resume on Monday night when the Browns (3-8) visit the Denver Broncos (7-5). “It’s absolutely amazing to be amongst those guys, not just looking up at them but looking side to side and standing amongst them.

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“So I want to continue to find myself on those lists and hopefully stand alone at the end of the day.”

He’s on his way.

The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year is having another monster season but probably not getting the recognition he deserves as the Browns, upended by continuous quarterback issues, have fallen way short of expectations.

Garrett used the national TV platform against the Steelers to remind any detractors of his greatness. He sacked Russell Wilson three times, forced a fumble and outplayed Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, the player to whom he is most often compared.

The Garrett vs. Watt debate went to another level in February. On the day Garrett received his DPOY award, second-place finisher Watt seemed to take a shot at the Browns star by posting “Nothing I’m not used to” on social media.

Those comments stuck with Garrett, who following the win over Pittsburgh — and Watt being held without a sack — didn’t hold back in declaring himself the league’s best pass rusher.

“I wanted to make it known that I’m the guy, I’m the No. 1 edge defender,” Garrett said.

It was an unusual boast from Garrett, who was asked why he felt he needed to express himself.

“Because part of my journey of being the best player that I can be is I think I can be the best player that there is currently,” he said. ”So I have to live up to those expectations I have for myself. That’s just on the road to be the player that I want to be.”

Garrett’s unrelenting drive is what sets him apart. Although he’ll enter Monday’s game with 98 1/2 sacks and can become just the fifth player to reach 100 in his first eight seasons, joining White, Ware, Allen and Watt, it’s not enough.

“I still took too long,” said Garrett, who can become the first to do it before turning 29. “It’d have been tough to catch Mr. White, but hopefully this next however many number will come quicker than the first 100. So we’ll go out there and we’ll do what I do and try to take it up a notch.”

Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz marvels at Garrett’s output despite double- and triple-team blocking.

“He just continues to do stuff,” Schwartz said. “His production is so high, even though he’s a marked man, even though every game plan starts with, ‘Don’t let 95 wreck the game,’ and he still finds a way to wreck games.”

Schwartz doesn’t need to see any lists to know Garrett belongs among the best to ever rush a quarterback.

“Yes, he does,” Schwartz said. “I think he’s just starting to hit his prime. I think he still has a lot left in front of him. The sky is the limit as far as he goes. And when it’s all said and done, maybe you’re comparing other people to him. That should probably be a goal for him.”

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