All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett doesn't regret requesting a trade from the Cleveland Browns before signing a record extension to stay with the team.
"I feel I earned it by playing the best brand of ball possible," Garrett said Friday, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN 850 Cleveland. "I plan to deliver week in and week out during the season."
He added: "I had some frustration. ... It created a little more discourse, built relationships. Now we're in a better place."
However, Garrett said the negative reaction from Browns fans "hurt," per Grossi.
"I think the fans will see my heart is in the right place," Garrett said, according to Noah Weiskopf of Orange and Brown Report. "It's never been about money, it's always been about winning."
Garrett, 29, requested a trade Feb. 3, citing his desire to win a Super Bowl. Cleveland ultimately rewarded him with a four-year, $160-million contract - the largest deal ever given to a non-quarterback.
Although the request didn't sit well with Browns fans, Garrett doesn't believe he has to make amends.
"From Day 1, I've always said that I want to bring a championship to Northeast Ohio, so that doesn't change," Garrett said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "I'm just going to continue to turn those opinions around ... (by) being the best person I can be on the field and off the field."
Despite the off-field drama, Garrett hopes he can play the rest of his NFL career in Cleveland.
"I've always wanted to end my career with the team I started with," he added, per Grossi.
"This is my home," Garrett said.
Garrett has established himself as one of the NFL's premier edge rushers since Cleveland drafted him first overall in 2017. He's recorded 102.5 sacks in 117 appearances and reached double-digit sacks in each of the last seven seasons. The Texas A&M product was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and has claimed first-team All-Pro honors four times.
Despite Garrett's stellar production, Cleveland has won only one playoff game since 2017. The Browns went 3-14 in 2024 and head into 2025 with a major question at quarterback.
