Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett continues to build his Hall of Fame case with another major accolade, earning the 2024 Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year award. This recognition marks the second time in his career he has claimed the honor, having also received it after the 2023 season, the same year he won the NFL’s version of the award.
Garrett’s achievement makes him the first player since J.J. Watt in 2014-15 to win the Sporting News DPOY in consecutive seasons. He also becomes the first Browns player to do so since Hall of Famer Jim Brown achieved the feat in 1957 and 1958.
What makes this honor even more significant is that it is voted on by the players themselves. Over 800 NFL players cast their ballots for the league’s top honors, and Garrett received nearly 25% of the votes.
This award is just the latest addition to Garrett’s growing collection of accolades, which includes several from this offseason. The eight-year veteran was named to the NFL Players Association’s All-Pro team, the Associated Press All-Pro first team, the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-NFL and All-AFC teams, and he’s headed to his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl.
While Garrett expressed disappointment over the Browns’ disappointing 3-14 record in 2024, the season still featured several personal milestones. With 14 sacks, Garrett finished as the runner-up for the sack title and became the first player in NFL history to record 14 or more sacks in four straight seasons. Additionally, he reached 100 career sacks before his 29th birthday, making him the fastest player in history to achieve this milestone. With 102.5 career sacks, Garrett also holds the franchise record for most sacks.
Leave a Reply