The next time a star player says he wants a trade, and it seems there's no way to mend the relationship with that team, remember Myles Garrett smiling in front of a bunch of plastic dinosaurs on Friday.
Right before the Super Bowl, Garrett said he wanted a trade from the Cleveland Browns. Some things Garrett said reflected his desire to win and that he didn't think it could happen in Cleveland. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam declined a meeting with Garrett. And then Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million deal and all was well again.
It's understandable. If your employer gave you $40 million a year, you'd forget a lot of hard feelings too.
"I'm glad to still be here," said Garrett at a media conference that had treats and a table lined with colorful, small toys, a nod to his love of dinosaurs.
It's not a bad thing that Garrett took the money. It's a lot of money. He's the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. It was a sign of respect. Nobody should hold it against Garrett that he signed that deal.
It's just hard to believe Garrett when he says it wasn't about that new contract.
"I think the fans will see that my heart's in the right place," Garrett said. "It's never been about money. It's always been about winning. And that's where my frustration lies."
Myles Garrett wants to win in Cleveland
Garrett can collect a huge check and also still want to win a Super Bowl in Cleveland. They're not mutually exclusive.
He seems to genuinely like Cleveland. He said the trade request came with a heavy heart. He said he always wanted to end his career in Cleveland.
"I don't regret what I said [the trade request], but it did hurt because it this has felt like a community," Garrett said. "They have received me with open arms from day one and I have given everything.
"Like family, sometimes you fight and you have to go through things and built through adversity. We'll get through this and come out right on the other side."
The tone was a lot different a month ago. Garrett put out a statement announcing his trade request that said it was never about going from "Cleveland to Canton" but he wanted to compete to win a Super Bowl.
Suddenly, he's back to a team with massive quarterback questions and is coming off a 3-14 season. Things can turn fast in the NFL. But what Garrett said didn't endear him to all Browns fans, though he said there's no fences he needs to mend.
"No. From day one I've always said I wanted to bring a championship to Northeast Ohio. That hasn't changed," Garrett said. "That's still my stance. I'm just going to continue to turn those opinions around, or reinforce those opinions, by going out and doing what I've always done. Going out and making plays, being a great teammate, great leader."
Garrett said he didn't regret the trade request. He said that and the subsequent reunion over the contract will lead to better discourse about how to turn the Browns into a winner.
"I had some frustration," Garrett said. "I feel like that helped us grow and have conversations that were difficult but needed to be had."
Garrett is the face of the Browns
On the field Garrett is unquestionably one of the best players in the NFL. He's on a track to the Hall of Fame.
Cynically it's easy to look at Garrett being all about the money, but that's not necessarily fair. He clearly has a lot of pride in what he does.
"If it's about the money I could just pack it and not give my best effort," Garrett said. "But I plan to be the best person possible in this locker room, be the best leader possible, as well as dominating on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays."
Maybe there's still room to grow. There was a report from The Athletic that Garrett has been "frequently late" to the facility and "skipped mandatory team activities on multiple occasions," and that might be a point of contention with the Browns, especially given how much Garrett is being paid.
Garrett's current contract would expire when he's 33 years old. Garrett could end up playing somewhere else before his career is done but for now, he and the Browns are linked.
"Staying here, it wasn't like I had to be roped into it," Garrett said. "This is a home. This is my home. I feel like at the end of the day we have to make the best decisions for ourselves, and how can we turn this into a winner?"
