BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Browns defensive end Myles Garrett accepted responsibility for the events that led to head coach Kevin Stefanski benching him for the opening series last Saturday against New Orleans.
“I respect his decision,” Garrett said Friday. “I was sick and I didn't communicate well enough.”
Garrett, who is fourth in the NFL this season with 13.5 sacks, did not practice two days last week due to the illness.
“I think it was a misunderstanding at the end of the day, but I mean that's how it went down and got to respect how he feels about the situation and his judgement,” Garrett said.
Stefanski indicated Friday afternoon that there has been no carryover this week from the discipline, which also included a fine for violating team rules.
“He has done a nice job. Been good,” Stefanski said.
The discipline of Garrett was a bad look for a team captain and leader of the defense.
“It’s just a bad look for a starter just in general,” Garrett acknowledged.
“I don't foresee anything like this happening again.”
The four-time Pro Bowler has started 79 of 82 career games for the Browns and broke Clay Matthews Jr.’s official team career sack record since being taken first overall in 2017.
Garrett missed five games of his rookie season due to injury, served a six-game suspension in 2019 for hitting backup Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with a helmet and missed two games in 2020 due to COVID.
Garrett continues to play with a left shoulder injury that he suffered in late September following a one-car accident that caused him to miss one game. Garrett was cited for failure to control, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol listed excessive speed as a contributing factor in the accident but did not cite him for it.