Broken-hearted Myles Garrett helped Browns clinch playoff berth

Cleveland Browns fans didn’t want to leave the stadium Thursday night after the team earned a playoff spot. Myles Garrett, Cleveland’s star defender, soaked it all in as well. But the joy was missing.

In his post-game press conference, Garrett conceded he’d played with a heavy heart. He very nearly missed the game. Back home in Texas, his family was dealing with the death of Garrett’s uncle. Chris Johnson, the brother of Myles’ mother, Audrey, died Christmas night. The Browns superstar learned of his death the morning after. Uncle and nephew had last seen each other at Thanksgiving.

Garrett missed Wednesday’s walk through. The Browns described his absence as personal. By Thursday, he conceded he felt like he was walking through fog.

“Sometimes you got to put on a little bit of a mask even though you don’t want to,” Garrett told reporters. “I’m happy for my teammates and that’s honest and true and that’ll always be how I feel. This team, it’s unlike any other. I’m always proud to be a Brown and be a part of a special organization. I know that feeling how I feel doesn’t feel right without C.J (his uncle). I know even though he’s watching it, it’s a little bit different. It’s not the same.”

Ultimately, Garrett’s mother decided whether her son would play against the Jets. The 37-20 win allowed the Browns to earn only their second playoff spot in the past two decades.

“If she needed me I’d have been gone in a second,” said Garrett, the former Texas A&M star and No. pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. “Football’s great. I love this team, love the Browns, but I only got one mom. I’m hopefully going to have many more games, many more years, but there’s only one C.J. and there’s only one mom. If she needed me, I’m always going to be there for her just like she is for me.”