Myles Garrett has looked like a superhero throughout his NFL career, wreaking havoc on offensive lines with ease. In his Los Angeles Rams debut Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers, however, he was the Invisible Man.
Three months after Los Angeles gave up defensive end Jared Verse and three premium draft picks to acquire Garrett, the former Cleveland Brown had no tackles or quarterback hits against Brock Purdy and Co. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan did an excellent job scheming up ways for Purdy to get the ball out quick, primarily through screens to Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle.
But even when Purdy took his time in the pocket, Garrett couldn't get past future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams.
Myles Garrett vs. Trent Williams Elite
vs. Elite 🤝 SFvsLAR on Netflix pic.twitter.com/JmXNO7ufN0
— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2026
Garrett gave an explanation for his struggles postgame.
Is Myles Garrett injured?
Garrett told reporters his knee was not 100% heading into the game, admitting it was "the worst version of myself that I've put out there." The two-time Defensive Player of the Year said he was more focused on staying healthy in-game than usual, leading to his first outing without a tackle since 2024 and fourth of his career, per ESPN.
"I've got to be better," Garrett said. "I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I've shown that I've been before."
Rams coach Sean McVay said during training camp Garrett was dealing with swelling in his knee, but didn't seem overly concerned about how it'd impact him going forward. With a disappointing opening week behind the Rams, it's become one of the biggest questions of their season.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Myles Garrett reveals what led to quiet Rams debut
