Latest news with #Garrett
The Herald Scotland
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Browns' new helmets create latest headline in offseason full of them
"As the kings of keeping things clean, we're here to back the Browns as they embrace a bold new look this season - with the launch of their all-brown alternate helmets," said Ryan Meegan, co-founder and CMO of DUDE Wipes. "We're pumped to team up with the Browns for one of the most iconic helmet reveals the league has ever seen." Alright, pal. It's a helmet. And an(other) ugly one, devoid of the creativity which would likely be quite welcomed in an alternate uniform. And based on online fan reaction, seems like most of them think the "Alpha Dawg" looks like, well, you know. There's more. Per the Browns, "as the presenting sponsor of 'Alpha Dawg,' DUDE WIPES initiated a one-of-its-kind stunt on Lake Erie with a covered object on a 20-foot barge 100 yards offshore from Huntington Bank Field (Tuesday). Following the announcement of the alternate helmets today, the object was unveiled to be a large inflatable DUDE WIPES x Browns brown helmet to help bolster excitement for fans." Have a look ... An even better angle lol — ThatsGoodSports (@BrandonPerna) July 23, 2025 (This Lake Erie mishap occurred seven years after former coach Hue Jackson took a plunge into its waters to fulfill a promise after the team's 0-16 2017 season.) As you might imagine - and you don't need an active imagination - the internet has taken it from there, and one can probably guess which direction the digital conversation has taken. As for the fan "excitement?" Harder to find. But you've got to hand it to the Browns. Has any team coming off a 3-14 season ever generated this many headlines in an offseason? (And, for the record, these are also the same self-proclaimed alpha dawgs who have played more seasons - 56 - than any team, save the Detroit Lions, without reaching a Super Bowl.) First, their best guy, 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, kicked off the week leading up to Super Bowl 59 by requesting a trade after eight ringless years. Garrett even composed something of a goodbye letter, writing: "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." Six weeks later, Garrett signed a $40-million-a-year contract extension, the club's mud money evidently slaking his thirst for a Lombardi Trophy. Don't be surprised if it's a decision both parties regret in time. A few weeks later, owner Jimmy Haslam copped to the mistake that set the organization on fire, a la the Cuyahoga River ... as if the rest of the world couldn't see the folly of the 2022 trade for dirtbag quarterback Deshaun Watson, whom Haslam doubled down on with a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract. "We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun," Haslam said at the league's spring meeting in late March. "We thought we had the quarterback, we didn't and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole. (It) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable." Give him credit for the mea culpa, and there are certainly plenty of owners in the league who wouldn't have offered one. It came three years after Haslam and his wife were supportive of Watson, who also cost the Browns three first-round draft picks, despite his rampantly lurid behavior at Houston-area massage parlors that led to two dozen lawsuits and an 11-game suspension from the NFL, which also mandated that Watson undergo evaluation and counseling. His acquisition caused many supporters to turn in their fan cards and also necessitated the trade of incumbent quarterback Baker Mayfield, a Pro Bowler the past two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then came the draft. Oh, the draft. After GM Andrew Berry had sent unmistakable signals - perhaps smoke signals - in the days leading up to it that he'd likely draft dual threat Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick, once he got on the clock, he instead traded it to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Some Browns fans were as aghast at the decision as they were upon seeing those Alpha Dawg helmets. Others applauded Berry for picking up a Round 2 choice plus a first-rounder in 2026 while only having to move down from No. 2 to No. 5 this year. The jury will get a few years to render its verdict, but the deliberations will continue in the interim. Yet even that blockbuster was mere prelude to Cleveland's involvement in the 2025 draft's overarching plotline: the free fall of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders ... which ended when the Browns took him in the fifth round with the 144th overall selection. Neither Berry nor head coach Kevin Stefanski looked thrilled by the Sanders pick once it was made based on their on-camera reactions provided by draft telecasts. Berry claimed Day 3 fatigue was to blame, while Stefanski said that the video didn't truly align with the selection in real time. Still, they seemed far more exuberant in the moment about the quarterback they took 50 spots earlier, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel. (A word about Stefanski and Berry. The former is a two-time Coach of the Year. The latter has constructed two playoff teams - in Cleveland no less - despite being stripped of all those first-rounders by the Watson deal, a transaction both he and Stefanski seemed to endure through gritted teeth as it was being hailed by Haslam in 2022. Makes you wonder if taking Sanders was their idea.) Whew. Since then, it's been pretty quiet. (Not really.) Stefanski announced he'd be conducting a competition between former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, veteran Kenny Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders to find his starting quarterback for 2025 - a four-way battle at pro sports' most important position that, cough, typically happens with most NFL teams in a given year. Sanders was ticketed twice for excessive speeding in Ohio. Fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence and battery charge, and the team is now waiting to sign him. Hall of Famer Charles Woodson joined the Browns' ownership group as a limited partner. Ohio governor Mike DeWine signed a budget infusing Haslam's plan for a new suburban stadium with $600 million. Just last week, the Browns even helped high school flag football for girls become sanctioned as a sport in Ohio - and, hey, give them deserved credit where it's due, like in this instance. But not Wednesday, when ... brown crowns. If you believe the cliche that there's no such thing as bad publicity, then the Browns are a burgeoning buzz dynasty. Yet despite all the attention they've generated in recent months, they're likely headed for another last-place finish that will (again) leave them well short of the Super Bowl and quite possibly looking for yet another quarterback in 2026. In time, maybe Stefanski and Berry can elevate the on-field product to a level on par with the team's PR acumen. It's just going to take perseverance and a little luck. But until then? (DUDE) wipe, rinse and repeat. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Browns DE Myles Garrett sets eyes on career milestones in 2025
Defensive end Myles Garrett has reported to Berea, OH, along with his teammates for the start of Cleveland Browns training camp. The Browns star arrives after a dramatic offseason—one that resulted in a 4-year, $160 million contract, making him the second-highest-paid defensive player in the league. Along with a brand-new contract, Garrett is bringing high individual and team expectations for the upcoming season: 'I expect to get to the Super Bowl, that's our expectation every year. I expect to win back Defensive Player of the Year,' said Garrett. 'Whether we're practicing or playing, when I step in the building, I need to be the best version of myself and the best leader I possibly can be.' The Browns are currently projected to have a very slim chance of making the Super Bowl, especially in a heavy-hitting AFC North that features three extremely talented opposing quarterbacks. When it comes to the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett has as good a chance as any other defender. The Browns and Garrett face a tough start to their Super Bowl run, with four 2024 playoff teams on the schedule in the first five weeks of the regular season. Between the drama of his contract and the possibility of a trade, one thing remains clear: Myles Garrett is ready to win.
NBC Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Myles Garrett: I expect to get to the Super Bowl, that's the expectation every year
Back in early February, Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett made his trade request public with a statement that noted his goal was to compete for a Super Bowl. But then Garrett and Cleveland agreed to a massive contract extension that will pay him an average of $40 million per year, which got one of the best players in franchise history back in the fold. Even as the Browns do not appear to be a contender entering 2025, Garrett's goals have not changed. 'I mean, I expect to get to the Super Bowl. That's our expectation every year,' Garrett said on Wednesday, via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. 'I expect to run back to Defensive Player of the Year, so keeping both those things in mind, I have to be the very best player I can be every single day, whether we're practicing or playing. As soon as I step in the building, I have to be [the] best version of myself and the best leader I can possibly be.' While Garrett was clearly frustrated with the direction of the team in the offseason, he says now that it's got to be channeled in the right way. 'I have such high expectations for the team because I have such high expectations for myself,' Garrett said. 'The team's going to go as go, I'm going to try to be the driving factor behind that and create a standard in which everyone has to chase every single day.' Plus, after a 3-14 season, Garrett feels like players want to bounce back after being so unsatisfied. 'Guys were really disappointed because they knew what we had in the locker room, within ourselves, and it wouldn't be a letdown if this was the expectation, but it is because we know we have far more in the tank,' Garrett said. 'We have a great core unit, a lot of young guys and there's a lot of juice to squeeze. So we're going to continue to try to find the best ways to put guys in position to make plays for us, whether it's offense or defense and even special teams and I think we'll really be able to turn the page this year coming up.'
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
LSU football pushing to land two top remaining recruits in Louisiana
National signing day is months away, but most of college football's top 2026 recruits are off the board. In Louisiana, 15 of the state's top 17 players are committed, per the Rivals Industry Rankings. Eight of those players are committed to LSU, but the Tigers hope that number will grow in the coming months. Of that 17, the two without a commitment are linebacker JaMichael Garrett and defensive lineman Darryus McKinley. LSU has a chance to land both. McKinley is the younger brother of current LSU defensive tackle Dominick McKinley. ESPN and Rivals both rank McKinley as a top-40 defensive tackle in the class. He earned a fourth star from ESPN, but remains a three-star recruit at Rivals and 247Sports. LSU has been considered the heavy favorite for most of McKinley's recruitment. According to the Rivals Prediction Machine, LSU has a 99% chance of landing the defensive tackle. He would join a loaded defensive line class that includes Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson. McKinley is scheduled to commit on Nov. 8. As for Garrett, LSU had to battle to be in the race. Garrett originally committed to Auburn before backing off the pledge and opening his recruitment up. Garrett is an Alabama who recently moved to Baton Rouge. He doesn't fit the typical bill of a Louisiana high school product who dreamed of playing for LSU. But now that he's playing in LSU's city, the Tigers are in the thick of the race for the blue-chip linebacker. Per 247Sports, Garrett is the No. 8-ranked linebacker in the class. LSU's 2026 class is yet to add a linebacker, which makes Garrett a priority. LSU isn't the frontrunner for Garrett at the moment, but LSU has made progress. Don't count out the Tigers.
Chicago Tribune
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Pittsburgh Steelers make T.J. Watt the NFL's highest-paid defender with a 3-year, $123M extension
PITTSBURGH — T.J. Watt has wanted to be a 'one-helmet guy' from the second he arrived in Pittsburgh eight years ago. The star outside linebacker took one big step toward that goal Thursday, agreeing to a new contract that will make him the league's highest-paid defender and keep the perennial All-Pro in black and gold well into his 30s. Watt, who was entering the final season of the four-year extension he signed in 2021, is scheduled to make $123 million over the course of the three-year agreement, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract had not yet been made public. ESPN first reported the extension. Watt appeared to celebrate by making a rare Instagram post on Thursday afternoon, sharing a picture of him flexing in his signature No. 90 jersey. Watt also posted a photo in his Instagram stories of him posing alongside protégé and third-year Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig. The agreement's average annual value of $41 million eclipses the previous record contract for a defender set by Cleveland Browns defensive lineman and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in March. The annual average salary is also tick above what Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase received when he (briefly) became the league's highest-paid non-quarterback a few days after Garrett agreed to terms with the Browns. The fact Watt's extension is worth 2.5% more per season than Garrett's (whose overall total value of $204 million is still higher than Watt's) is not a coincidence. Watt, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year and a four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, has long believed he is the best edge rusher in the NFL. For the second time in four years, he's being paid like it, though he might not hold the distinction of being the league's highest-paid defender for long. Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is also due for an extension that — given Parsons' age (26) and the league's ever-rising salary cap — figures to set the bar even higher. Watt, who turns 31 in November, took the unusual step of skipping mandatory minicamp last month in hopes of putting pressure on the Steelers front office to get something done. Coach Mike Tomlin brushed off Watt's absence, saying it was only a matter of time before things worked themselves out. The timing couldn't be better. The new-look Steelers — now led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers — report to training camp at Saint Vincent College on Wednesday. They'll do it with a familiar face in tow. Watt, who tied an NFL record by racking up 22½ sacks in 2021, is the linchpin of a defense that will be relied on heavily if the Steelers want to end a playoff-win drought that stretches to the 2016 AFC championship game, a few months before the Steelers selected Watt with the 30th pick in the 2017 draft. While Watt is putting together a Hall-of-Fame worthy resume, the one thing he is lacking is postseason success. Watt's singular brilliance has helped keep the Steelers competitive during his tenure, they are winless in the postseason with Watt in the lineup, most of them losses in which the defense has struggled. Watt, who has 108 sacks in 121 regular-season games, has just one in four playoff appearances. The Steelers are taking a flyer on 2025 — signing Rodgers and trading for veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey, among other notable moves — and are intent on trying to find their next franchise quarterback in the 2026 draft, which just so happens to be taking place in Pittsburgh. The lack of star power under center, however, has given the team the financial flexibility to take care of Watt now, hoping he can remain an impact player into his mid-30s in the same way longtime teammate Cam Heyward has done.
