Browns Rookie Class, Myles Garrett Set Historic NFL Milestone
Myles Garrett achieved a historic milestone during the NFL 2025 season by breaking the league’s single-season sack record. After a series of events, including a trade request and contract extension, Garrett secured his place in history with 23 sacks in 17 games.
Myles Garrett’s Record-Breaking Achievement
Garrett surpassed the previous record of 22.5 sacks, held by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan since 2001. Strahan set his record in a 16-game season while the Giants faced 567 pass plays, resulting in 46 sacks against them.
In 2021, T.J. Watt tied Strahan’s record in a 17-game season, playing only 15 games due to injury. Watt’s opponents had 557 pass plays that season. In comparison, Garrett’s achievement came against 540 pass plays in 2025, providing context to his impressive numbers.
- Michael Strahan: 22.5 sacks in 567 pass plays (2001)
- T.J. Watt: 22.5 sacks in 557 pass plays (2021)
- Myles Garrett: 23.0 sacks in 540 pass plays (2025)
Browns Rookie Class Makes History
Despite the Cleveland Browns being eliminated from playoff contention five weeks prior, the 2025 season provided significant hope for fans. Several rookies stepped up to set franchise records and achieve remarkable feats. Notably:
- Shedeur Sanders: Led the team in passing yards
- Quinshon Judkins: Scored seven touchdowns in 14 games
- Harold Fannin Jr.: Set franchise records as a rookie tight end
- Carson Schwesinger: Led all NFL rookies in tackles
The Browns are now the only team since the NFL’s 1970 merger to have a rookie lead them in four major statistical categories in a single season: passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, and tackles.
Potential Award Winners
Looking ahead, there are strong possibilities for individual honors within the team. If Carson Schwesinger wins the Defensive Rookie of the Year and Myles Garrett secures the Defensive Player of the Year, the Browns would join an elite group of teams achieving both awards in the same season. Previous teams to accomplish this include:
- 2013 Ravens: Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs
- 1981 Giants: Lawrence Taylor
- 1974 Steelers: Mean Joe Greene and Jack Lambert
Overall, the 2025 season has provided a bright outlook for the Cleveland Browns, marked by a record-breaking performance from Myles Garrett and promising contributions from the rookie class.
