Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett achieved a major milestone in his NFL career during Week 16, despite the team’s 24–6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Late in the first half, Garrett sacked Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow for an eight-yard loss, marking his 100.5th career sack. This feat ties him for No. 60 on the NFL’s all-time sack list and makes him the first player in league history to reach 100 sacks before the age of 29. Garrett now has 12 sacks for the season.
Garrett’s dominance against Burrow and the Bengals makes this achievement even more fitting. He has sacked Burrow nine times across their eight matchups—the most he’s recorded against any single quarterback or team in his career.
Adding to the significance, Garrett reached the milestone in just 115 games, tying Bruce Smith and Lawrence Taylor as the fourth-fastest players to achieve this mark. Only Reggie White (96 games), T.J. Watt (109 games), and DeMarcus Ware (113 games) reached the 100-sack milestone faster. Smith remains the NFL’s all-time sack leader with 200, while Taylor ranks ninth with 142.
Garrett’s impressive performance comes amid growing frustration over the Browns’ struggles. After the loss to Cincinnati, the Browns fell to 3–12 this season, continuing a disappointing stretch since drafting Garrett No. 1 overall out of Texas A&M in 2017. The team’s 53–76 record during his seven-year tenure has prompted Garrett to express doubts about his long-term future in Cleveland.
“First of all, I want to win, and I want the Browns to be able to put me and us in a position to win,” Garrett told reporters days before the game. “I’m not trying to rebuild. I’m trying to win right now. And I want that to be apparent when the season’s over and we have those discussions.”
Although Garrett is signed with the Browns for two more seasons, his comments suggest a desire for clarity on the team’s direction. “I want to stay loyal to a team that showed loyalty to me and faith in me by drafting me, but we have to do, at the end of the day, what’s best for us,” he added.
This season, Garrett has amassed 12 sacks, 41 total tackles, and 16 tackles for loss, underscoring his continued excellence even amidst the Browns’ struggles. As he prepares to turn 29 next week, Garrett’s message to Cleveland is clear: he wants to win, and he wants to win now.