The Cleveland Browns have sent shockwaves in the AFC North by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-6 in the Week 17 game. While head coach Mike Tomlin claimed they played with their regular game plan, for Myles Garrett, the Browns’ 13-6 victory over the Steelers wasn’t just about the score; it was about a perceived strategy that prioritized his sack record over a Pittsburgh win.

“To an extent, I feel like they were more worried about keeping me away from Aaron (Rodgers) than getting the win. And I think that’s what came back to bite them. They’ll have to fight it out with Baltimore next week, but I’m just proud of the guys for getting this win. That’s the main thing,” Garrett said in the post-game conference.

The defensive end entered the game needing 0.5 sacks to break the single-season sack record of 22.5. However, the entire Steelers offense ensured that he had to wait until the season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. The veteran finished the Week 17 game with only one solo tackle and one QB hit. Clearly, Rodgers didn’t want to be on highlight reels for the next decade. He made quick throws to his receivers down the field, getting rid of the ball as early as he could.

Their attention on the Browns’ star allowed other players to register sacks. Safety Grant Delpit sacked Rodgers once, along with eight tackles (seven solo). Defensive end Alex Wright also got an easy sack as the Steelers’ offensive unit had its full attention on Myles Garrett.

At the 13:39 mark in the fourth quarter, on a 3rd & 13 play, Rodgers got the snap. Garrett tried to take him down from the right, but right tackle Mason McCormick held him off. It gave Wright enough chance from the right to beat left guard Spencer Anderson and sack the signal caller from behind.

Not only the players, but even veterans like Shannon Sharpe were also convinced that the Steelers were playing to avoid Garrett from achieving the record rather than winning. The Steelers’ head coach pushed back. He said they were playing the game like a regular game.

Mike Tomlin replies to Myles Garrett’s statement

In their first matchup of the 2025 season, Myles Garrett didn’t have a sack. So, the Steelers had a similar game plan in the Week 17 matchup as well. Also, if they wanted to win, they had to stop the best defensive player on the Browns. The head coach had a solid reply to Garrett’s accusations.

“We didn’t do anything against Myles (Garrett) that we don’t normally do against Myles. The sack record is irrelevant. We’ve got to minimize him if we want to engineer victory,” Tomlin said.

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The Super Bowl-winning quarterback also echoed a similar sentiment. The only thing is that this time, everyone’s attention was on Myles Garrett’s record, making their plays look more focused on the defensive end than just a regular one.

“We had a similar game plan as the first time. We just executed better in the first game,” Rodgers said.

However, the AFC North has spiced up after the Browns’ upset victory.

The Black and Gold need to win against the Baltimore Ravens in the season finale for a playoff berth. On the other hand, Myles Garrett is still confident that the record will be broken this year. Does Joe Burrow want to be on the highlight reels of the next decade? We’ll find out soon.