ST.Myles Garrett Opens Door to Leave Browns After Controversial Postgame Comment — Fans Furious, Speculate He Wants to Join Steelers
After a 23–9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett stunned fans and analysts with a postgame comment that has sparked outrage — and even rumors that he may be eyeing a move to Pittsburgh in the future.
Speaking candidly after the game, Garrett delivered high praise for the rival Steelers, calling them the current standard of the AFC:
“The Steelers right now are playing on a completely different level — they’re not just chasing the AFC North, they’re chasing the Super Bowl. The way they control the line of scrimmage, the way that defense suffocates you — it’s pure dominance. Losing to Pittsburgh isn’t something to hang your head about. They’re not just contenders anymore… they’re the standard of the AFC.”
The quote spread like wildfire, triggering immediate backlash among Browns fans. Many accused Garrett of “admiring the enemy” after a poor individual showing (0 sacks, 1 QB hit). Others speculated he might be
hinting at an eventual exit, possibly to join the very team that embarrassed Cleveland. The hashtag #GarrettToSteelers quickly trended in Ohio, generating tens of thousands of posts within hours.
Game Recap: Steelers 23 – Browns 9
1st Quarter:
The Steelers took an early 6–0 lead with two Chris Boswell field goals (44 and 50 yards). The Browns’ offense sputtered, gaining just
34 total yards on 2.8 yards per play.
2nd Quarter:
Boswell added a 48-yard kick to make it 9–0. Cleveland finally got on the board with a 31-yard field goal
by Andre Szmyt just before halftime (9–3), helped by a “running into the kicker” penalty that extended their drive.
3rd Quarter:
Aaron Rodgers found Connor Heyward for a 12-yard touchdown (16–3). The Browns answered with another field goal (16–6), but the
Steelers’ defense, led by T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig, dominated the trenches — sacking Dillon Gabriel twice and shutting down Cleveland’s offense.
4th Quarter:
A costly Jerome Ford fumble
recovered by Jalen Ramsey set up an 18-yard TD pass from Rodgers to DK Metcalf, sealing the game at 23–6. Szmyt added one more field goal late (23–9), but the Browns never threatened.
Key Performances
Steelers:
- Aaron Rodgers: 21/30, 235 yards, 2 TDs (Heyward, Metcalf), 115.3 passer rating.
- DK Metcalf: 4 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD.
- Defense: 6 sacks (Watt 0.5, Herbig 2, Ramsey 2), 1 fumble recovery, 8 passes defended, only26 rushing yards allowed.
Browns:
- Dillon Gabriel: 18/28, 172 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.
- Quinshon Judkins: 6 carries, 15 yards; 9 catches, 62 yards.
- Defense: Contained the run but allowed 2 passing TDs; multiple injuries (Jack Conklin – concussion, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka – hip).
Officiating Controversies
The game featured 12 accepted penalties (Steelers 5, Browns 7), two of which drew sharp debate online:
- Defensive Holding on Jabrill Peppers (Q2): A light contact penalty extended a Browns drive that led to a field goal. Many called it a“soft call.”
- Missed Review on Jerome Ford’s Fumble (Q4): Replay suggested the ball might’ve touched the ground before the recovery, but no review was initiated. The Steelers scored a touchdown five plays later, sealing the game. Hashtag#RefsVsBrowns trended with over 10,000 mentions.
After the game, Garrett admitted the Steelers’ dominance was overwhelming. But the timing of his praise — immediately following a lifeless performance by Cleveland — struck fans as tone-deaf.
One fan wrote on X: “You don’t call your biggest rival ‘the standard of the AFC’ after they humiliate you. That’s not leadership — that’s surrender.”
As rumors swirl, the bigger question lingers:
Is Myles Garrett simply showing respect… or quietly signaling he’s ready to wear black and gold?
Panthers HC Dave Canales Takes Jab at Jets CB Sauce Gardner
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales isn’t afraid to talk at the podium.
Ahead of the Week 7 matchup versus the New York Jets, coach Canales made some interesting comments about star cornerback Sauce Gardner.
“Yeah, you gotta be able to catch contested passes, and he is gonna be there. He is sticky, he is sticky in man coverage. When he is in zone, he is playing off the quarterback’s drop. He is a fantastic player, and you have to come off the rock with speed, you gotta be able to use your hands, he is not afraid of a penalty here and there. He is a really confident guy, and that’s exactly the type of opportunities and challenges that bring out the best in our guys. So gotta meet the challenge, and you’re gonna have to catch the ball when he is near you,” Canales explained.
#Panthers HC Dave Canales said #Jets CB Sauce Gardner ‘is not afraid of a penalty here and there.’ 👀
‘He is sticky in man coverage [and] when he is in zone he’s playing off the quarterback’s drop. He’s a fantastic player.’
🎥 @Panthers #KeepPounding #JetUp #CARvsNYJ
LINK:
Canales, making a jab at Gardner for his penalties, got some responses on social media.
“That means they are going after Gardner because he is a penalty machine. He will be good for about 30-40 yards in penalties Sunday,” one fan speculated.
@BoyGreen25 @Panthers That means they are going after Gardner because he is a penalty machine. He will be good for about 30-40 yards in penalties Sunday.
Another fan responded, “they bouta pick on my boy . Hope he ready.”
Despite the Social Media Noise, Gardner Is Coming off an Elite Performance
The Jets may have lost 13-11 to the Denver Broncos in Week 6, but it wasn’t Gardner’s fault.
NFL Network Researcher LaQuan Jones revealed that, “Courtland Sutton got lost in the ‘Sauce.’ Lined up against Sauce Gardner on 86% of his routes and allowed an average of 1.8 target separation and one catch for 17 yards. Bo [Nix] only looked Sutton’s way twice.”
Courtland Sutton got lost in the “Sauce”
Lined up against Sauce Gardner on 86% of his routes and allowed an avg of 1.8 target separation & one catch for 17 yards.
Bo only looked Sutton way twice.. 🫠
Cc: @SpittinSPEEDZ Rams could use him
— LaQuan Jones (@RealDealFantasy) October 12, 2025
“I think he has been better than most people have given him credit for this season. Now, it’s not to say there wasn’t some deserved criticism of Sauce Gardner this year, but I think some of it gets a little bit over the top. Sauce Gardner leads corners in separation prevented in the NFL. So this metric is focusing on coverage, measuring how well a defender prevents a receiver from getting open. He has allowed a 47.6 reception percentage this year. That is 10 receptions on 21 targets. Of corners who have played 200 or more snaps this season, that puts him fifth in the NFL. The point being, some of the Sauce hate is unwarranted. Not all, but some,” Jets content creator Matt O’Leary explained.
Sauce Gardner has been better than you think in 2025 #Jets
Gardner Is in for a Tough Assignment
The highest-paid corner in football will likely be shadowing Panthers star rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
He has been having an outstanding year to date with 27 receptions for 380 receiving yards and two touchdowns. McMillan has averaged 14.1 yards per reception through the first six games of the season.
McMillan’s imposing size, at 6-foot-5 and weighing 212 pounds, could give Gardner some problems.
Week 3 Nightmare Flashbacks for Gardner
This isn’t a fair comparison to make, but it’s hard not to connect the dots on size.
During the Week 3 road matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gardner struggled against Mike Evans. Evans is also listed at 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 231 pounds.
The former Texas A&M product finished with four receptions for 33 receiving yards, and he caught a touchdown. He ended up exiting the game with an injury.
He was able to bully Gardner around and box him out. McMillan doesn’t have the same credentials as Evans, but he does have the size to pose some of the same problems.
Gardner better make sure he ate his Wheaties this week because Carolina is likely going to test him during the matchup.
