CLEVELAND — It looked like the Browns were on track to lose their best player when star defensive end Myles Garrett requested a trade in February. The Browns were steadfast on keeping Garrett, refusing to entertain any trade offers and despite the back and forth over the past several weeks, have ultimately come to an agreement to keep Garrett in orange and brown for years to come.
"He's the heart and soul of the team, obviously just emotionally and everything that he brings on the defense day in and day out. It's just unbelievable, so I'm super excited that he gets to stay with us," said Browns fan, Chad Novak.
Friends, Luke Massey and Josh Brosky, said they're also pumped for the contract extension.
"He's a great player. I think he's a beast, probably best in the league at this position," Brosky stated. "I have good hopes for this season. 100%."
Garrett and the Browns agreed to a four-year contract extension that will have Garrett earning $40 million a year with nearly $123 million guaranteed, a league source confirmed. The deal keeps Garrett in Cleveland for the next six years and includes a no-trade clause.
"He's not only the most athletic guy out there, the most tenacious, but he brings it to the field every day, comes to work and comes to win," Novak added. "I think defensively we'll be in a good spot."
The contract extension comes in the heat of discussions between Garrett's team and the Browns.
Garrett issued a statement in February saying that he wanted to "compete for and win a Super Bowl," implying he didn't believe the Browns to be in a contention situation any time soon amid the uncertainty at quarterback heading into the 2025 season.
As a kid dreaming of the NFL, all I focused on was the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl- and that goal fuels me today more than ever. My love for the community of Northeast Ohio and the incredible fanbase of the Cleveland Browns has made this one of the toughest decisions of my life. These past eight years have shaped me into the man that I am today. While I've loved calling this city my home, my desire to win and compete on the biggest stages won't allow me to be complacent. The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl. With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns. -Myles Garrett
RELATED: Browns DE Myles Garrett requests trade from Cleveland
In the weeks since, Garrett has continued making his stance known, doing numerous interviews on Radio Row during Super Bowl events where he expressed his desire to be traded to a new team. He remained adamant about leaving Cleveland for a contender.
"I didn't really like the media tour, but [the Browns] clearly have a plan and he agreed with it, so he signed the extension," Browns fan, Alex Trexler said on Sunday. "It's a once in a lifetime defensive player that the Browns can finally say we've had during my generation."
Meanwhile, the Browns continued expressing their stance—that they had zero interest in trading Garrett, that they were determined to keep him with the Browns for his entire career.
"I think you can assume that we do anticipate at some point doing a third contract with Myles," general manager Andrew Berry said. "We want him to retire here."
Garrett was selected by the Browns with the first overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Over his eight years with the team, Garrett has been selected to six Pro Bowls, including this year, he's been a four-time first-team All-Pro and was named Defensive Player of the Year after the 2023 season.
The contract extension agreed to on Sunday makes Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, which is good news for Garrett, and locks him in Cleveland for at least the next six years, which is good news for the Browns and puts them closer to their goal of retiring Garrett in Cleveland.
