3 Cleveland Browns most to blame for forcing Myles Garrett to point of no return

Cleveland Browns pass-rusher Myles Garrett shocked the NFL landscape on Monday morning of Super Bowl week, when he announced via a statement that he wants to be traded. Garrett left little leeway for the Browns to re-engage with his camp, as Garrett is tired of losing and Cleveland has a long way to go before they're contending for AFC North titles again.

"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," Garrett wrote. "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."

Garrett cited complacency specifically as an emotion he wanted to avoid, and playing for the Browns can often lead to that side-effect. Cleveland is a great sports city that deserves a winner, but often its professional football team falls short of that standard.

Browns fans are always ready to point the finger, and a Garrett trade demand feels like an eight-game losing streak of its own, if not more.

Browns fans simply have to blame Kevin Stefanski, even if they don't want to

I don't blame Stefanski entirely for Garrett's looming exit. He doesn't coach the defense, after all. However, he is in charge of personnel decisions and the quarterback room. Those are two areas holding the Browns back. Whether it be hiring Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator for a season or allowing Deshaun Watson to start at quarterback time and time again, Stefanski's message cannot be hitting home in the locker room.

Stefanski led an upstart group of Browns players headlined by Garrett and Baker Mayfield in 2021, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers and falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round that season, and made the playoffs in 2023 with Joe Flacco starting in steed of Watson. The only time the Browns have been competitive is with Watson on the bench, and Stefanski refuses to pull the plug. This was on full display after a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles this season – their fourth straight, mind you – when Stefanski backed Watson despite his miserable 21.4 QBR up to that point.

"I think Deshaun gives us the best chance to win, continues to give us the best chance to win," Stefanski said. "We need to play really good offensive football at his position, and really at every position to be successful."

Eventually, Jameis Winston would get the call, but it would come far too late in the season to matter.

2. Deshaun Watson hasn't delivered what the Browns were promised

If the Browns could get out of Deshaun Watson's contract easily, they would have already. Cleveland mortgaged its future for Watson back in 2022 and immediately handed him a record-breaking contract extension with the full knowledge of the sexual misconduct allegations against him. Watson was eventually suspended 11 games, and settled out of court. Nonetheless, his alleged actions are heinous, if true, and raise questions about both Watson and the organization he plays for.

On the field it's been even worse for Watson. He's struggled to stay healthy, and even when on the field, Watson performs like one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. Perhaps it's living up to the massive contract, or the number of fans rooting against him due to the previously-mentioned allegations, but this is not the player the Browns thought they were getting. Heck, Cleveland would rather have Baker Mayfield.

But the Browns are stuck with Watson for the time being. Garrett is 29 and entering the tail end of his prime. As the man said, he wants to win a Super Bowl. His chances at achieving such a feat in Cleveland are slim to none, especially while Watson remains on the roster.

1. Jimmy Haslam and the Browns front office have to go

The Browns front office said they wanted an adult in the quarterback room when they traded for Deshaun Watson and all of his sexual misconduct allegations. Jimmy Haslam then proceeded to give Watson a record-breaking contract extension, and defend the morality of said decision when asked about it months later.

"We did what we thought was in the best interest of our team. We still feel that way. So, we're excited to, if you will, have the stuff behind us. This time last year, how many games is he going to play? Is he going to play? Is he not going to play? He's going to be there the whole season [now] and barring injury, heaven forbid, he's going to play all 17 games and hopefully more. That I think alone is a bigger leap to the organization, to Deshaun, to all of us," Haslam said at the time.

I wonder if he still feels that way? Haslam is one of the worst owners in sports, and not just because of the latest Browns stadium ordeal. He's far too involved in team operations, and rather build around Mayfield – who had taken the Browns to the postseason just a few years prior – he chose Watson and all that came with him. And don't get it twisted, the front office went along for the ride.

When Garrett – perhaps the greatest player of this era in Browns football – is wearing another team's colors, we can only hope Haslam remembers his role in making it happen.