Dee and Jimmy Haslam broke their silence Monday evening following the most significant transaction in Cleveland Browns history in years, releasing an official statement that acknowledged the weight of what just happened while explaining the reasoning behind the decision to move on from Myles Garrett.
“Myles Garrett has been the best player on our team and one of the best defensive players in the history of the game, since we drafted him in 2017. His legacy is immense and we could never adequately articulate our appreciation for how he played the game and for being the best player he could be for the Cleveland Browns over the last nine years. He has left a deep imprint on our franchise, with our fans and with the Dawg Pound. Clearly this was not an easy decision, particularly with Myles because we’ve watched him come into our organization and grow like a member of our family. Trading Myles was never our intent, but we also recognize that certain opportunities demand serious consideration, and we believe this is the right move for our team. Adding a young defensive star like Jared Verse, along with valuable draft assets, are necessary to strengthen a talented young core and align with the youth of our team. Our goal continues to be building a consistently winning franchise that our fans and this region deserve, and we believe this move creates the best path towards that. We met with Myles on Saturday and told him we are extremely grateful for all that he contributed to our team and to our community and that he will always be a Cleveland Brown. We look forward to welcoming him back at the appropriate time and wish him and his family only the best,” the Haslams wrote.
Myles has left a deep imprint on our franchise, our fans and with the #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/bd2TWTkN1r
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 1, 2026
The detail about meeting with Garrett on Saturday is significant. The Browns told their best player face to face before the trade became public, which reflects a level of respect and dignity that the situation demanded. Garrett gave nine years and everything he had to this organization. The least the front office could do was look him in the eye and express their gratitude directly rather than letting him find out through a news alert.
Garrett will always be a Cleveland Brown. That is true in every sense of the phrase. His 125.5 career sacks, his two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and his Pro Bowl selections are permanently woven into the fabric of Browns history.
Browns fans will honor him the right way when he returns to Cleveland. That day cannot come soon enough.
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Myles Garrett Trade Was In The Works Much Longer Than Anyone Knew