Myles Garrett has no regrets over officiating comments: 'I just want them to do their job'

BEREA — Myles Garrett said his piece about the way he's officiated about an hour after the Browns wrapped up their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Two days before they play their next game against the Chicago Bears, had the All-Pro defensive end's feelings changed at all?

"Absolutely not," Garrett said Friday.

After Garrett was held without an official sack — he did have one on a 2-point conversion try — in the 31-27 win over the Jaguars, he delivered a message unprompted about his feelings on the officials, which he called a "travesty" in the game. His criticisms centered on the fact the tackles were allowed to "get away with hands to the face, holding, false starting."

For Garrett, it was the culmination of several weeks' worth of pent-up frustration after not getting a sack in either of the Browns' road losses at the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams. In both of those games, he consistently had to deal with a variety of tactics to prevent him from getting to the quarterback, not all of them legal.

Garrett admitted on Friday it felt good to get his feelings off his chest. As for his hopes it resonates with those who throw the flags, his level of optimism wasn't incredibly high.

"I mean, it is what it is," Garrett admitted. "Right now I'm not getting any calls, so it can't get much worse than that, but I hope it has a positive effect. I'm not trying to offend anybody. I just want them to do their job to the best of their ability."

Who Garrett's message did reach was the NFL offices. Whether or not it results in changes to how Garrett is officiated, that remains to be seen.

Whether or not it results in a change to Garrett's bank account, that's a virtual lock. Garrett flashed a knowing smirk when asked about receiving a fine from the NFL, saying, "Ask the league."

A source confirmed to the Beacon Journal that Garrett was fined $25,000 for his comments. The league did not immediately respond to an email from the Beacon Journal seeking comment.

The Browns, though, were fully in the corner of their star pass rusher.

"As I've said it before, we're not the thought police," head coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday. "Our guys can voice their opinions. Again, talked about it a little bit earlier, but he gets a ton of attention. I remind the officials of it every game. Just so they're aware that teams are going to be doing everything in their power to slow down 95. That's what they're talking about in their building. So when he's being clearly restricted, we expect it to be called."

Garrett is currently seventh in the league with 13 sacks. That's after a three-game sack-less streak which is the longest for him since not getting one Weeks 15-17 of the 2021 season.

At the time the Browns departed for the western swing through Denver and Los Angeles, Garrett was leading the league in sacks. He had also recorded at least one sack in five consecutive games.

The entire Browns defensive line group failed to get a sack on that trip, so it wasn't just Garrett who couldn't get to the quarterback. However, he has noticed teams are more often keeping their tight end to block on pass plays instead of just chipping him on their way out into their pass route.

"It’s not exactly new, it's just more often," Garrett said. "Hell, the Broncos, the Rams a little bit, so it's that. It's the slide so that even if I beat the tight end and tackle over sets, I can't really get inside the tackle. I have to run the long way. I have to go power. They're making it trickier. Trying to make me get creative out there, but it's not just me out there."

The Browns did sack Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence four times this past Sunday, not counting the 2-point conversion which doesn't count officially as a sack. However, three of the four players — safety Grant Delpit, defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II — who recorded a sack are out for the foreseeable future with injuries.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said he noticed a difference in Garrett on the final Jacksonville drive of the game. While it didn't result in a Garrett sack, and the Jaguars did score, it was a possession that showcased a possessed Garrett.

"I would say this, particularly the last drive of that game, I don't know if I've ever seen him rush so well," Schwartz said. "It didn't translate to a sack until the 2-point play, but his win percentage, probably the last two drives was unbelievable. It was really inspiring to watch, and you could tell he was mad and he was everything else, but he was more determined and just kept on coming."

Garrett acknowledged a difference in himself that drive also. In some ways, it was the on-field prologue to his postgame message.

"I finally got into a rhythm where it was like I can pick up some speed," Garrett said. "I can go and just fight a couple of chips every now and then. I felt like I could finally do what I wanted to. I had that freedom. I was also kind of frustrated with what was going on so that added a little extra boost. I wanted to make the play to win the game. It was a little bit late, but I got it."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Myles Garrett has no regrets for postgame officiating comments