Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett had a debut for the Rams on Thursday night that left him telling reporters, “This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there,” after putting up exactly zero tackles, zero sacks, and zero pressures in a brutal 27-7 loss to the 49ers. That’s a gut punch for any player, but for a guy who just snagged DPOY honors, it’s a statement that tells you everything you need to know about the kind of night he had. The Rams needed their superstar to dominate, and he just couldn’t deliver.
A Night to Forget for the Superstar
It’s tough watching a player of Garrett’s caliber struggle like that, especially when he’s supposed to be the anchor of the defense. Zero tackles, zero sacks, zero pressures. That’s not just a quiet game; that’s an invisible game for a defensive lineman who feasts on quarterbacks and running backs. The 27-7 final score against the 49ers screams volumes about how much the Rams missed his usual impact. After the game, Garrett didn’t mince words. He wasn’t deflecting blame; he owned it completely. “I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I’ve shown that I’ve been before,” he said. That’s the kind of honesty you respect, but it also highlights just how far off his game he felt.
The Injury Hangover and a Mental Battle
So, what’s going on? Garrett shed some light on it, revealing he didn’t even play in the preseason and barely practiced in training camp. Why? A knee injury. That’s a massive factor. Missing that prep time, that ramp-up, it hits you hard once the regular season starts. He admitted his primary focus right now is “getting healthy.” You can practically hear the frustration in his voice when he explained his mindset on the field, “When I was out there I was a little more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than what they were doing, and it showed. I wasn’t what I needed to be for my team.” He knows he wasn’t there for his squad, and that’s a tough pill to swallow for any competitor. Interestingly, he shot down any ideas that the long trip to Australia for the game or the Rams’ decision to arrive the day before had anything to do with his performance. This isn’t about travel fatigue; it’s about his own health and game readiness. “I wasn’t the player I wanted to be, I didn’t feel like I was the player I’ve been before when I stepped onto that field. I’ve got to do what I can to get back to that,” he reiterated, putting the pressure squarely on himself to bounce back.
What’s Next for the DPOY?
For Myles Garrett and the Rams, the immediate future is all about getting him healthy and back to form. He’s been the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for a reason, right? That kind of talent doesn’t just disappear. But this early season outing is a huge red flag. His words make it clear: the physical and mental game needs to be 100 percent for him to dominate. The stakes are high for him to recover, not just for his own reputation, but for a Rams team that clearly needs their DPOY performing at his elite level if they want to turn this season around after a rough start. The league is watching to see how quickly he can get back to being the player everyone knows he can be.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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