Browns' Garrett: 'It's a load of crap' MVP became QB-only award
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett doesn't think the NFL does a good job when it comes to naming MVPs.
"It's a load of crap," Garrett recently said on "The Rich Eisen Show" when asked about the MVP becoming a quarterback award. "And I think the last time (a defender) should've won the MVP would be J.J. Watt with the outstanding year he had in 2012. That was easily his award."
Former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was the last non-quarterback to be named NFL MVP in 2012. A defender hasn't won the award since Lawrence Taylor in 1986.
Watt, who retired from football at the end of the 2022 season, was the defensive player who came closest to taking home the MVP in recent years. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner claimed four straight first-team All-Pro berths from 2012-15 and ranked second for the league's top individual award in 2014 behind Aaron Rodgers.
"We have an Offensive Player of the Year award," Garrett added. "So if you want to give the best offensive player an award, we have that handled. But the best player, the one who's most respected, most feared, and makes the most game-changing plays, shouldn't just go to a quarterback or wide receiver. It should go to the guy who's been game-planned all week, who has to be respected, who you're avoiding and when that time comes, he makes that play."
Garrett's comments come days after one of the most dominant performances of his career. The 27-year-old, who's earned four career Pro Bowl berths and a pair of first-team All-Pro nods, racked up nine tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass breakup, and a blocked field goal in Week 7 to help the Browns edge the Indianapolis Colts 39-38. It was Cleveland's second straight victory with backup quarterback P.J. Walker under center.
Garrett, who amassed 16 sacks in each of the last two seasons, has racked up 7.5 in six games this season to go along with 16 quarterback hits and a league-high three forced fumbles. He also tops the NFL in pass rush win rate among players with at least 140 snaps as a pass-rusher, according to PFF.
Since being drafted first overall in 2017, though, the Texas A&M product has never finished higher than fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Garrett is a vital part of a Browns defense that leads the NFL in total yards and passing yards allowed per game so far in 2023.
"That's exciting, not only for me but for us as a defense to put the team on our backs," said Garrett, who's recorded 82 career sacks, the most ever for a player before turning 28 since individual sacks became official in 1982.