CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Two days after hijacking the news cycle with his trade request, Myles Garrett hit up radio row in New Orleans Wednesday.
It’s the closest he’s come to the Super Bowl.
And that’s why he wants out of Cleveland. Garrett spoke with Rich Eisen on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ where he expanded on why he is no longer invested in the Browns organization.
“Just felt it was time,” Garrett told Eisen.
Garrett explained to Eisen this was not an impulsive decision and something he has been thinking about for a while and he spoke at length with his parents, sister, agent as well as LeBron James about leaving Cleveland.
“I wanted to make sure I was completely detached and they felt the same way I did and I felt like everyone's kind of on the same page and felt like it was now time to at least speak on something that was near dear to my heart,” Garrett told Eisen. And [I] have a lot of love for Cleveland, but it's always for me, been about competing for championships, winning those big games and winning Lombardi's and we haven't had the opportunity to do that. And that's all I'm asking for.”
In Garrett’s statement released Monday there was a not so subtle jab at Browns executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry, who said on January 6 his expectation was Garrett would be going from Cleveland to Canton and finish his career with the Browns.
“It has never been about the Hall of Fame for me,” Garrett told Eisen. “It's not about money or records. You’re remembered for winning, bringing a trophy back home to your city, whichever city that is. That's how you’re remembered in your community by your peers, your teammates, by friends and all of that. We want to play the game and want to do things to be remembered.”
Garrett spoke with the Browns and informed them of the request prior to releasing the statement but those conversations with the organization about turning the franchise around following a disastrous 3-14 season did nothing to get him to change his mind.
“It's not a decision I take lightly,” Garrett said. “It took time and lots of conversation, but just looking at kind of the trajectory of the team, talking to some of the higher ups, and I have a lot of respect for them, but I just don't think we're aligned on where the team is going in the near future. And I feel like the window for us as athletes is only so broad and it only continues to close as years go by with anything be able to happen on that field from day to day. And I want to be able to go out there and compete at the highest levels day in and day out and playing for championships.”
Berry and the Browns have no obligation to trade him, not with two years left on his contract, and certainly they don’t have to send him where he wants to go. Garrett understands, but hopes Berry will do for him what he was willing to do for other players, including Odell Beckham Jr.
“I know in my position, I don't have much say in where I go, but hopefully we can leave off on good terms and we can find a middle ground between us,” Garrett told Eisen.