Browns Send Message on ‘Frustrated’ Myles Garrett After Outburst
As the Browns followed up a promising effort against the Dolphins in Week 7 with an overall disaster in Week 8 against the Patriots, it was clear that Cleveland’s old pal–frustration–had returned with a vengeance. For star edge rusher Myles Garrett, in the midst of a career day with five sacks of budding MVP candidate Drake Maye, the frustration was especially poignant.
Garrett wants to win, badly. At 30 years old and in his ninth season, he has just three games of playoff experience behind him, playing for an organization that has struggled at just about every level. It was only nine months ago that Garrett demanded a trade, seeking a place where he could compete for a Super Bowl. The Browns gave him a whopping new $160 million contract, persuading him to stay.
But the now 2-6 reality of this team has settled in again, and in the final two minutes of Sunday’s loss, Garrett was seen throwing his helmet in frustration and later kneeling by himself on the sideline, away from the rest of the team.
Browns Are ‘All Frustrated’
The outburst was not lost on Browns fans, observers and even coaches. Head coach Kevin Stefasnki was asked about Garrett’s helmet-toss on Monday. His message: It’s time for leaders to show “resolve.”
“We’re all frustrated,” Stefanski said. “Obviously, in those moments, we want to make sure it doesn’t get the best of us. But with that frustration comes a resolve, and I know Myles and I know him as a leader, I know the leaders in this football team will show that mental, will show that resolve.”
Myles Garrett Wanted to be on the Field
Garrett had conceded he was frustrated in that moment. It’s obvious that the losing is wearing on him, though in the end, the decision to return to the Browns and take the major contract was his. Because of their cap and quarterback situation, the Browns are stuck in their mediocrity, and Garrett is bearing that burden.
Garrett indicated that he did not like being on the bench down the stretch, even though the game was out of reach.
“Frustrated,” he said. “I want to win. No matter how much time is on the clock, they got their starters in, there’s a chance we can win, I want to be a part of that. I don’t care how dire the situation looks. I want to try to make something happen, so I hate coming out in a situation, I hate that kind of inevitability. And not being able to do anything about it.”
Browns, Myles Garrett Heading Into Bye Week–And NFL Trade Deadline
Stefanski said the hope is that the Browns can go into the coming week–their bye week–and regroup, with the promise of a better run in the second half of the season. The NFL’s trade deadline is next Tuesday, and it’s not clear whether Cleveland will move any of its players. Certainly, they’re not dealing Garrett.
Yes, there is frustration at 2-6. But he wants players to direct that frustration to improvement.
“I mean, you are what your record says you are, so we got to own it – that’s where we are,” he said. “But we’re excited about the challenge in front of us. Again, guys will take a breath this week, but then you got nine games coming up, five of them at our place. …
“I think it’s really so specific to all of us. We know we have a job to do – the fun in this business is winning, so, there’s the frustration that comes with losing a game, is very real. But how you channel that and how you, like you said, use it as fuel moving forward, I think is really important.”
Among busy Steelers offseason of big-name acquisitions, don’t forget about Darius ‘Big Play’ Slay
He started the first game of his rookie season and has barely looked back, six times getting named to the Pro Bowl and once making first-team All-Pro after leading the NFL in interceptions.
Brought in almost a month to the day after winning a Super Bowl ring, Darius Slay’s signing was a high-profile move by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
So why does it seem as if Slay has slid under the radar throughout summer workouts, training camp and the preseason?
March 10, the day Slay’s signing broke, is less than six months ago, but it seems like six years ago in the context of all the other big-time acquisitions the Steelers have made: Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith …
Heck. Slay isn’t even the biggest name at his own position that his team acquired over the offseason. That would be Jalen Ramsey, whom came in a June 30 trade.
That’s all OK by Slay, the 34-tear-old who started all 18 games (including playoffs) he played for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles last season and prefers to be addressed by his surname.
“One thing about me, they know Slay does not have an ego while it comes to that,” Slay said about embracing a more secondary role. “My time of those days (is in the past) — even though I can still compete at a very, very high level. If there’s need for me to do it, I can easily do it and go out here and compete.
“But I have no shame in letting any one of those young guys there be ‘the man.’ My time was a long time, long, long time ago. I have been in the league since 2013. Thirteen years. So I’m just here to assist and help. And if I’m needed at that position of doing what’s needed to be done, I can do it for sure.”
According to the grading of Pro Football Focus, Slay sure can. He graded out as the NFL’s 14st-best starting cornerback in coverage last season. For context, 2024 Steelers starters Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson ranked 65th and 79th, respectively, and Ramsey was 22nd.
Slay’s play, of course, is important, to the Steelers. But management has been open about the fact that it sought Slay as much for his experience and leadership as much as they did for his proficiency in press-man coverage.
“I take pride in that,” Slay said of being the savvy, sage veteran. “I feel like that’s one of my special gifts. And that’s one of my favorite roles of being in this game, just be able to mentor young guys or helping out and sharing my knowledge of the game to make them become a better player. That’s what my job is, too.”
Porter, in particular, has been drawn to Slay. Porter, the son of a former player, has maintained a sense of respect and reverence for those who have played in the NFL for a long time. Porter’s rookie year, he had a future Hall of Famer — one who was a former teammate of his father — in Patrick Peterson. Last season, Porter had another player he had grown up admiring in Jackson.
This year, he has Slay, a player who was drafted when Porter was 12 years old and was All-Pro while Porter was a junior in high school.
“When I first got here,” Slay said, “I even told Joey, ‘Hey, I’m here to help you become the best version of yourself. And whatever you need from me, just ask, I’ll give it to you.’
“I’m not here to hide no details. I’m not here secretly competing against you about who’s going to be the best corner. I ain’t into that. I more want to help him become one of the best in the game.”
It’s been only 5 1/2 months since the Steelers added Slay, who spent his first seven seasons with Detroit. And while he hasn’t brought a “wow” factor as much as Ramsey or invited the publicity of Rodgers or have a Megatron-like body such as Metcalf, Slay has quickly made a positive impression on his new organization.
“Slay is an excellent player, a really smart guy, an excellent cover corner,” assistant general manager Andy Weidl said recently. “He can read (offenses); he’s (a player) that has that wisdom that passes on and passes down. With his willingness to pour into the younger players, Slay’s just tremendous.”
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at
