Myles Garrett dreamed of failure, then woke up and chose history.

After a restless Saturday night where the Cleveland Browns star envisioned falling short of the NFL's most coveted defensive milestone, Garrett stepped onto the turf at Paycor Stadium on Sunday and "denied fate." In a gritty 20-18 season finale win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Garrett officially became the NFL’s "Sack King," recording his 23rd sack of the season to stand alone at the top of the record books.

The record-breaking moment arrived with roughly five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Squaring off against Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., Garrett used a swim move and a blistering 0.23-second get-off to collapse the pocket and wrap his arms around Joe Burrow.

The takedown moved Garrett past the previous single-season mark of 22.5 sacks, shared by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (2001) and Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt (2021).

Garrett’s path to the record was a masterclass in persistence. Throughout the game, the Bengals threw every possible look at the 30-year-old, utilizing double-teams and chip blocks to keep him away from Burrow.

"I don't think I saw more than three singles on a real drop-back the whole game," Garrett said. "I knew if I did, I’d have to make that moment count. The feeling couldn’t be better."

The achievement marks the culmination of a dominant 2025 campaign that included a career-high five sacks against the Patriots in Week 9 and four against the Ravens in Week 11. Garrett also extended his historic streak as the first player to record at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons.

When the whistle blew, the celebration reflected the magnitude of the feat. In the stands, Garrett’s parents, Audrey and Lawrence, shared an emotional embrace. On the field, teammates swarmed the All-Pro, with tight end David Njoku placing an imaginary crown on his head before the defensive line hoisted him onto their shoulders.

"It was special. I've given everything to them," Garrett said of his teammates. "It’s a privilege to be with these guys, to go to work with these guys, to bleed, to sweat, and to cry for these guys."

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski offered high praise for his superstar. "He’s the Defensive Player of the Year. You can make him the MVP if I had a vote."

With 125.5 career sacks, Garrett now sits 20th on the all-time list, having surpassed the legendary Reggie White for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30. While the Browns missed the postseason, Garrett’s season-long pursuit provided a historic silver lining for the city of Cleveland.