Browns officially sign DE Myles Garrett to contract extension through 2026

The last time we saw Myles Garrett on a football field, he was the talk of the NFL for all the wrong reasons, cracking Mason Rudolph in the head with a helmet in the final moments of a Browns victory over the Steelers. That didn’t impact the Browns’ desire to still make him the centerpiece of the defense for a long time, as the team officially announced on Wednesday that they have signed Garrett to a contract extension.

Garrett had a little fun on social media after signing the extension, saying, “Cleveland, keep betting on me, [the] world keeps betting against us.”

The five-year extension for Garrett will keep him with the Browns through the 2026 season. As reported a few days ago, the deal is believed to be worth $125 million, with a $50 million signing bonus and $100 million in guaranteed money. At $25 million per year, Garrett becomes the highest-paid player in NFL history outside of the quarterback position. We will report on year-by-year contract details as soon as they become available.

Andrew Berry on Extending Garrett

“One of our fundamental organizational beliefs is identifying young players on our roster and proactively retaining them as part of our present and future core. We go through great lengths to select players whose make-up and performance embody the characteristics we are looking for within our team. Today, we’re delighted that Myles Garrett will be a Cleveland Brown for many years to come. Myles’ rare physical gifts in conjunction with his work ethic, intellect and humility have been the catalysts behind an auspicious start to his young career. Despite his early individual successes, Myles maintains the same drive toward greatness that he displayed as a 22-year old rookie. We firmly believe that this intense focus means the best is yet to come.

It would be remiss of me not to address the fact that we are choosing to do this after a season during which Myles was suspended. Myles has been accountable for his mistake and we view the incident as well out of character. We don’t believe one moment should define him based on how he has handled himself prior to and in the months after last year’s incident. We are excited to ensure that Myles will stay in Cleveland for the foreseeable future.”

Garrett on the Browns Betting on Him

“In 2017, the Cleveland Browns bet on me. This city quickly became my home and these people quickly became my family. I’m eternally grateful for this opportunity, the support of my friends and family, the organization, my teammates, the fans—I could go on forever, but even that wouldn’t be enough time to express my gratitude. I’ll just say this: Keep betting on me, Cleveland, because I won’t let you down. Now, let’s get to work.”