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BEREA — There are players who would love to have seasons as good as the November enjoyed by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. There are rookies who won’t have careers as good as what linebacker Carson Schwesinger had in that same month.
Both Browns defenders were honored for their Novembers to remember by earning AFC monthly awards Dec. 4. Garrett was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month, and Schwesinger was recognized as NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month.
It may only be the start of the honors both will collect by the time all is said and done. Although the Browns as a team are 3-9 entering a Dec. 7 home game against the Tennessee Titans, Garrett and Schwesinger are heavy favorites to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year, respectively.
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“I think as a defense, every time we take the field, we take it with pride and our goal is to earn and gain respect when we’re out there from everybody,” Schwesinger said Dec. 4. “I think that’s something we’ve continued to do. You mentioned with Myles, I mean, what he’s been able to do is not normal, but we’re almost just used to it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he somehow broke the record the next game, which would be another five-sack game or whatever.”
Those two solidified their status as favorites for the awards with how they performed in November. It’s the second time Garrett has been honored as AFC Defensive Player of the Month, with the other being October 2020, as he looks for his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
Garrett’s more immediate goal is significantly more memorable — breaking the NFL single-season sack record. That mark of 22.5 — set in 2001 by New York Giants Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and 2021 by Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt — is a mere four sacks away from being broken by the four-time All-Pro, who has 19 sacks through Week 13.
“That’s amazing, man,” safety Grant Delpit said Dec. 4 of Garrett. “I think the closer he gets, I might hold him up and let him get one. So if y’all see me hold him up and let go, just know I’m pointing to Myles saying that’s his because that doesn’t happen too often. I really want to see him break it as soon as possible so we can get it out the way. But what a legend. Legend.”
Garrett recorded nine sacks in the month of November, including a four-sack performance in a Week 11 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and a three-sack game against the Las Vegas Raiders the following week. It was during the Raiders’ game that Garrett also broke his own franchise single-season sack record, which had been 16, set in both 2021-22.
That was part of a five-game stretch in which Garrett recorded 14 sacks, an NFL record. He has 121.5 sacks for his career.
Beyond the sacks, Garrett also had 13 tackles for loss in the month to push his NFL-leading season total to 28. The single-season NFL record is 36, set by future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt in 2012.
Schwesinger, meanwhile, has only gotten better as his rookie season has gone along. The No. 33 overall pick, the first of the second round, out of UCLA leads all NFL defensive rookies in tackles (99) and tackles for loss (10), and he’s second in interceptions with two.
“Yeah, it’s a great honor,” Schwesinger said. “I’m thankful for it and just, it shows the work that I put in. I think there’s a lot of guys on that defense that are worthy of all sorts of awards. I mean, we got Mase (defensive tackle Mason Graham) playing up there too, who’s just been getting better every week. And I think as a defense we’re playing great.”
Over the four games in November, Schwesinger had double-digit tackles in each game, totaling 42 for the month. That’s despite playing with a high ankle sprain he sustained in Week 8 at the New England Patriots that didn’t cost him a single game.
Schwesinger had only two double-digit tackle games in the first eight games. His season high is 12, set in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Schwesinger also had an interception in November against the Ravens.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns Myles Garrett, Carson Schwesinger earn AFC, NFL monthly awards
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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