The stat correction that matters
The NFL issued a correction after the Browns-Bills game: Myles Garrett and Alex Wright were each credited with a half-sack instead of Mason Graham getting full credit. The change leaves Garrett at 22 sacks on the season, putting him 0.5 away from the single-season record of 22.5 jointly held by Michael Strahan (2002) and TJ Watt.
That's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It's a correction, not a revelation. But it matters because it tells you everything about how close Garrett is to something genuinely historic. He needs one full sack in the next two games. That's it.
The record is real, but the context is brutal
Here's the thing that kills you about Garrett's season: he's having a generational pass-rushing year on a 3-12 team. The Browns are bad. Genuinely, historically bad. Garrett demanded a trade in the offseason because he wanted to compete for a Super Bowl. Instead, he signed a four-year, $160 million extension to stay in Cleveland. The franchise hasn't gotten any better. He's still stuck.
Michael Strahan was on a Giants team that made the playoffs when he set the record in 2002. TJ Watt was on a Steelers team that goes to the playoffs regularly. Garrett is chasing 22.5 sacks while his team is heading toward the lottery.
What makes this actually impressive
Strahan played in an era when the offensive line wasn't as developed and modern pass-rushing was still evolving. Watt is arguably the most complete defensive player in the game. Garrett is in his own category—he's so explosively athletic that double teams barely slow him down. He's generating sack opportunities against modern offensive linemen who are bigger, stronger, and more technically proficient than guys Strahan faced.
The fact that he's nearly matched what those guys did says something about his talent level. He's not having a stat-padding season. He's destroying quarterbacks week after week while his team loses games.
Garrett wants it in the right way
When asked about the record, Garrett said something genuinely interesting. He compared himself to Strahan and Josh Allen to Brett Favre—both gunslingers, both special in their own ways. But here's what caught the attention: he said he wants to get the record in front of his home crowd, in a meaningful game, with a win. Not some empty statistical accomplishment while the team is getting demolished.
"I don't want it to be some emotional conflict between me getting it and we're getting our tails whooped," Garrett said. That's a guy who understands that records are cool but context matters. He wants to share the moment with fans and teammates who've actually had something to celebrate.
Two games to make history
The Browns play the Steelers next week at home, then finish against Cincinnati. Garrett needs one sack across those two games. Given how he's playing, that's not a question of if. It's a question of when. If he gets it against Pittsburgh in front of the home crowd with a chance to win, that's the storybook ending he's talking about.
But let's be real: this is a guy chasing individual glory because his team can't compete. That's not a criticism of Garrett. That's a criticism of the Browns organization. He signed that extension because he's committed to this team and these fans. Meanwhile, the franchise keeps letting him down. It's professional sports at its most frustrating.