Though his response was brief, Myles Garrett’s reply when questioned about playing for the Lions was noteworthy.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett made waves right away on Monday morning during Super Bowl week by publicly stating he had requested a trade. While the Browns were reportedly aware of this request for some time, Garrett’s public announcement was clearly new, and perhaps strategically timed, the day after he participated in the Pro Bowl.
Super Bowl week features “Radio Row,” an NFL gathering where players visit various outlets such as radio, TV, podcasts, and websites, usually promoting products or organizations, with brief and often superficial conversations about their teams.
Given the recent news, Garrett attracted extra attention on Radio Row Wednesday. He discussed his trade request in detail on “The Rich Eisen Show,” confirming he wants to leave Cleveland and elaborating on the situation. Eisen deserves credit for addressing the big topic, and Garrett was open and candid, as shown in the clip below.
However, Garrett mostly avoided discussing his trade request and its future impact as he made his rounds on Radio Row. Dave Birkett from the Detroit Free Press caught up with him for a brief moment between interviews and posed a quick question.
“While Myles Garrett was making the rounds on Radio Row during the Super Bowl, not addressing trade inquiries,” Birkett tweeted. “I asked him if he had any thoughts on playing for the Lions. He politely responded, ‘Not yet.’”
It’s still early for Garrett to have deeply considered which teams he’d prefer, beyond the general list of contenders aiming for a Super Bowl in the coming years. He did mention to Eisen that he has limited control over where he goes (lacking a no-trade clause), but hopes to reach a compromise with the Browns.
Questions remain regarding the Lions’ potential interest in Garrett. Although he only gave a brief answer to Birkett’s inquiry, it’s reasonable to believe the Lions could be on his radar, even if he hasn’t fully thought about joining them “yet.”