Myles Garrett is back from injury and now he's making this bold award claim

Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95). IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Myles Garrett is back from injury and now he's making this bold award claim

By Steven Kubitza | Last updated Nov 12, 2026 7:09 PM ET

Myles Garrett made his Los Angeles Rams debut during a disappointing Week 1 performance in Australia. It turned out he was injured and he remained out until his long-awaited return last Sunday against the Washington Commanders.

Any concerns about his play were quickly washed away as he picked up three sacks and looked like a literal game-changing player for the Rams.

Garrett is back in a big way and has been making the media rounds following his big return. That included a spot on "The Rich Eisen Show" in which he made a bold claim about a major NFL award and his chances to win it once again.

Myles Garrett shares strong DPOY claim upon his return

Eisen asked Garrett if he can repeat as NFL Defensive Player of the Year even though he missed nearly half the season so far.

"Absolutely. ... There's nothing to stutter about." ‍@Flash_Garrett's thoughts on if he can still win Defensive Player of the Year

(via @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/QAr2wzHrJz
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 12, 2026

"Absolutely," Garrett said without hesitation.

He went on to say he just needs to stack good game upon good game and there's no reason why he can't compete for the award that he won both last year and in 2023. His win in 2025 after he set the single-season sack record with 23 as a member of the Cleveland Browns.

The NFL is having a down year in terms of superstar talent running away with award honors early on. The MVP race is wide open and the same is true for the DPOY.

The current favorite appears to be Houston Texans star Will Anderson Jr. thanks to his 9.5 sacks on the season. Yet after him the conversation is open for debate.

Garrett returned and immediately change a game with three sacks. Continuing to stack up multiple-sack games that lead the Rams to more wins will only back up his claim that the DPOY trophy could be headed to his trophy case once again this year.

Next up is a matchup against rookie quarterback Carson Beck making his NFL debut for the Arizona Cardinals. Garrett getting multiple sacks in this game seems more likely than not.

Steven Kubitza

Steven Kubitza is a Cleveland, Ohio, native with over a decade in the news industry. His work has been featured on Yahoo Sports, FOX Sports, and FanSided, among other outlets. He is a lifelong Browns fan who is convinced the team will turn things around at some point in the next 50 years. Steven can be found on social media @kubitzawrites

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