Browns Myles Garrett bares all on his trade request on “The Rich Eisen Show”

Raise your hand if you were shocked when you read or heard that Myles Garrett had asked for a trade from the Cleveland Browns, his football parents.

RELATED: TRADING MYLES GARRETT IS A SOBERING MOMENT

It wasn’t a 9-11 moment where the world stopped revolving. But for a Browns fan, it might have been close. Maybe one day someone will indeed ask you, “Where were you when you heard Myles Garrett wanted to be traded?”

Okay, we can see that happening.

Garrett had gone to the front office twice to discuss the Browns’ current situation, once during the season and another afterward. He apparently had a talk-to-Jesus moment and we assumed he wasn’t satisfied with the answers. Then, he was suddenly at the Pro Bowl with guys who played for the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, and Minnesota Vikings who were all discussing their playoff run.

Everybody, but Garrett, that is. Not picked last mind you. The only one NOT picked.

Well, after Garrett’s announcement, anybody who owned a sports radio show or podcast or wrote articles on the NFL had their take on Myles Garrett and the Browns. Instantly there were stories such as “6 Landing Spots for Myles Garrett” (Editor’s Note: Hey, mine was 5!) even though most of the teams on the list had never expressed an interest in getting the elite pass rusher. Just an article penned really quickly on a subject matter that was the topic of the day that did not involve an NBA team.

Next, came the questions. Lots of questions. Questions that did not have any answers.

Until now.

Myles Garrett was a guest on “The Rich Eisen Show” Wednesday down on radio row in New Orleans during Super Bowl week. Garrett had been a planned guest way before his “break the hearts of Browns fans” moment, but the appearance was perfect timing for Eisen.

And Eisen did not hold back. He asked the questions that we would have asked. He pushed for the answers that we wanted to know. And he did so with grace and dignity because he knows the athlete’s brand is at stake.

Amazingly, Garrett answered every question and appeared to answer them truthfully, without hesitation, and without the usual BS generalization that we often get from high-profile athletes, coaches, GMs, and the like when they don’t want to actually express something factual because they don’t want to give anything away. Garrett talked about speaking with LeBron James who once played with the Cleveland Cavaliers and then bolted for the Miami Heat leaving Northeast Ohio, then came back and won Cleveland a title before heading out again for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Garrett is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and is the favorite to win it again Thursday night at the NFL Honors. He has already claimed his second consecutive accolade from the Sporting News.

Here at Dawgs By Nature, we want you to see what Garrett had to say on Eisen’s show. It is good stuff. So, we transcribed the interview. Yes, it took forever. It has been edited only a bit having taken out the “uh”, “um”, “I mean”, and “you know” verbiage.

Here goes:

Eisen: Obviously, we’ll just jump right into what you put out for the world to see about wanting potentially a change of address for you professionally. Why did you do that?

Garrett: Just felt it was time. I had taken my time after the season to relax and decompress emotionally. I wanted to distance myself and spend a little time talking with my family about how (beat), how we’d feel about this decision. I’d kinda felt this way. I wanted to make sure I am completely detached. And they felt the same way I did. I feel like everyone’s kind of on the same page. I felt like it was no time like to speak on something that was near and dear to my heart. I have a lot of love for Cleveland, but it’s always for me been not competing for championships, winning those big games, and winning Lombardi’s. We haven’t had the opportunity to do that and that’s all I’m asking for.

Eisen: Yeah, and the bobble sitting right here (he points to this year’s Lombardi trophy) sitting right here in front of you as we’re having this conversation is an interesting sort of conversation piece because that’s what the line in your statement that jumped out at me, was it wasn’t about going from Cleveland to Canton it’s about winning championships.

Garrett: It’s never been about the Hall of Fame for me. It’s not about money or records. You’re remembered for winning. Bringing a trophy back home to your city - whichever city that is - that’s how you’re remembered in your community, by your peers, your teammates, by friends, and all that. We want to play the game and want to do things to be remembered.

Eisen: So, if you don’t mind me prying, who is in that inner circle with who you had this conversation?

Garrett: It was my parents, my sister, obviously my agent, my marketing agent as well. And hearing a little bit from a Cleveland native as well.

Eisen: You did reach out to LeBron?

Garrett: Yes, sir.

Eisen: What conversation did you have with him, if you’re willing to share in that room?

Garrett: Well, what a transition looked like for him. What was his thought process going into it before he left Cleveland? And making sure I made a logical decision, taking my time, and trying to take away the pressure of doing something like that. I know that Cleveland and that area of Northeast Ohio has been his home and it feels like my home as well.

Eisen: It’s your adopted home. I appreciate you being open and honest as you always are when we have a conversation. It is uncomfortable. It is uncomfortable to change an opinion of whether professionally you could be as successful where you had dreams of being the one to provide it. For this fanbase that adores you and you adore them. This is not a decision to be made lightly.

Garrett: Yes.

Eisen: And so, I guess why when it all comes down to it that you’re willing to share, do you feel that this is what’s best? That in your eight years you’ve come to the conclusion it just won’t be in Cleveland for you?

RELATED: MYLES GARRETT TRADE REQUEST - HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Garrett: Like you said, it’s not a decision I take lightly. It took time and lots of conversation. Just looking at kind of the trajectory of the team, talking to some of the higher-ups I have a lot of respect for them. But I just don’t think we’re aligned on where the team is going in the near future. I feel like the window for us as athletes is only so broad. And it only continues to close as years go by with anything that can happen on that field from day to day. I want to be able to go out there and compete at the highest levels day-in and day-out and play for championships like I said.

Eisen: And this came out of conversations that you had with management already?

Garrett: Yes, sir.

Eisen: You’ve already had those conversations with management?

Garrett: Yes. We spoke after the season with the after-meeting and then spoke a few other times further down the line. This wasn’t something that I blindsided them with my opinion. I took my time before sending it outright to them and then I released a statement. I wanted to be able to do right by them because they’ve taken care of me for a long time including this has been my second home and know this community is one that I love. But, this is how I feel now.

Eisen: So, what happens next? What do you want to happen next?

Garrett: A trade to happen next. I just want to go to a contender.

Eisen: So, you want to have a say in where you wind up is what you’re saying?

Garrett: I would love to. I know in my position I don’t have much say in where I go, but hopefully, we can leave off good terms and we can find a middle ground between us.

Eisen: Do you have some teams in mind that you would like to go to?

Garrett: There are definitely contenders on the AFC side - NFC side. I’m not glued to anyone at the moment. But, I just want to be in a position to play in those big games and win big games and feel like I can make a meaningful impact and elevate a team and take them over the top.

Eisen: All right, a couple more minutes on this subject matter, and then we’ll move on to your season and what you think of (the Super Bowl). Was LeBron disappointed to hear why you called him?

Garrett: He was not. He had actually been reaching out to me to talk and get my side of things. He’s been a part of difficult times and the first part of his career being so frustrated with being so close to the pinnacle of sports. His sport. He just wanted to know exactly how I was feeling, where my head was at, if I needed to talk through anything, if I was ready to consider any kind of move, that he was there to communicate with and to lean on.

Eisen: And then I know this is a ‘what if’ question, but what if the Browns say no? We want you to stay, we want you to be part of this thing, we do believe in the plan that we have, we do believe this plan will work, we do need you to help this plan work, and you do have two years left. What if that happens?

Garrett: It’s possible. They could do that. But that’s a little bit further down the line than I’m willing to look. I know things have changed night by night. I’m sure people are calling and hopefully making some tempting offers. I’m grateful for my opportunity and I know that recently no one stuck to one team seeing Luca (Doncic), so let me see what happens.

Eisen: That is…I still can’t believe that. Did you call LeBron after that trade?

Garrett: I texted him. I couldn’t believe it. Neither could he. It was all over everyone’s phone. There were group messages going up, texts going out, and he was as shocked as anybody else. I feel like it would be like a Chris Jones for a Josh Allen. Even then it’s not a 1-for-1.

Eisen: I’m already hearing when you say you want out from Cleveland. Listen, he’s got two years of unguaranteed money left on his contract (Garrett nods). All they got to do is just make him the richest guy at the position in the game. And he’ll go back, and he’ll be a Brown, and that’s the end of that. How do you respond to that? That this is something that can be bridged, fixed, and you can stay with the Cleveland Browns? How do you say to that?

Garrett: I say I don’t care about the money. I just want to win a championship. Now, is it something that maybe they end up keeping me or saying that they’re not taking any offers? That’s a possibility. I just want people to know that it’s not about me being the highest-paid non-quarterback. Or me having a huge contract or any of that. I want to say at the end of the season I played in the biggest games and I won at the end of my career and I had a chance to display my talent and everything I had. And know it all came to fruition. Everything I dreamed and everything I hoped for.

Eisen: (points to the Lombardi trophy) In that trophy that’s right in front of you.

Garrett: (glances at the trophy briefly) Right in front. (beat) I don’t want to be on the same field of that trophy unless I’m holding it up.

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