The Cleveland Browns made defensive end Myles Garrett the No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.
There has been a bit of revisionist history over the years that the team deserves no credit for making “the obvious choice,” when the reality is that far too many were pounding the table to select quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
Garrett made an immediate impact by sacking New York Jets quarterback Josh McCown on the first snap of his NFL career, and over the ensuing nine years, placed himself firmly
atop the franchise’s leader board in sacks while becoming the best defensive player in the game.
That all came to an end on Monday as the Browns traded Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in a deal for defensive end Jared Verse and a handful of future draft picks.
Later in the evening, Garrett posted a farewell message to the fans, reflecting on his time with the Browns:
“To Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and every Browns fan,
“Nine years.
“It’s hard to put into words what that really means when so much of your life has been shaped in one place, around one team, and with one community behind you.
“From my very first play you embraced me, and I wanted to help bring winning back to a city whose loyalty, resilience, and belief never wavered.
“What I didn’t fully understand then was how much this city would shape me.
“Cleveland made me tougher. You challenged me. You taught me about perseverance, about showing up even when things aren’t easy, and what loyalty really looks like. Through the highs, lows, setbacks, injuries, expectations, inclement weather, and difficult seasons, you all kept showing up.
“I never took that for granted.
“To the Dawg Pound—thank you for embracing my family and I from Day 1. Thank you for every packed stadium, every moment of belief, every kid wearing my jersey, every message, every criticism, every expectation. I respected that then and I respect it now. I wish I could have done more for you.
“To the Haslam family, my teammates, coaches, training staff, front office, and everyone inside the building in Berea—thank you. Football is the ultimate team sport, and I’ll always be grateful for the brothers I went to battle with and the people behind the scenes who pour themselves into this organization every single day.
“To Northeast Ohio—thank you for allowing me to be part of this community beyond football. Through school visits, foundation work, events, and simply living life here, I saw firsthand the heart of this place. No matter where life or football takes me, this will always be a place I’m proud to call home.
“What I can say with complete honesty is this: I gave this city everything I had. I suited up and wore those colors with pride, and I don’t regret a second of being part of this storied franchise. Every Sunday. Every offseason. Every play. Every down. Every moment. You gave me more in return than I can ever repay.
“The best days for this franchise are ahead. Thank you for letting me grow here. Thank you for believing in me.
“Loving you is easy, leaving you is the hard part.
“Thank you for nine unforgettable years.
While the Browns may not have won as much as they hoped during Garrett’s time with the team – imagine coming into the league and going 0-16 as a rookie while dealing with head coach Hue Jackson – but that does not diminish the impact that Garrett had on the field.
What is your favorite memory of Garrett’s time with the Browns? Let everyone know in the comments.
