Steelers Players Have Strange Confession For Myles Garrett While Leaking Demands From Coaching Staff

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a great decision back in 2017 when the organization made the choice to draft outside linebacker TJ Watt with the 30th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Watt has been one of the most decorated players in the league since that time and he has become known as one of the true game-wreckers on the defensive side of the ball. A player that is in that conversation with Watt is Myles Garrett, who was also drafted in 2017, except he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the first overall pick in the event.

Due to both players being drafted in the same year, playing similar positions, and playing on rival teams, there has been a clear individual rivalry between Watt and Garrett. Both are considered some of the best defensive players in the league, and they each see plenty of offensive attention on a week-to-week basis. Watt and Garrett are each near the top of the list when it comes to pass rushers that are chipped and double-teamed the most, which is a good tactic deployed by the offense to limit their impact on the game. 

Pittsburgh has its own ways of dealing with a player like Garrett. The star defensive end reportedly told the broadcast crew of Sunday's Browns-Chicago Bears game that Steelers players have told him about what they are told when it comes to stopping Garrett. Commentator Kevin Kugler shared his conversation with the future Hall of Famer.

"He told us that the Steelers' guys told him they are not allowed to give him a sack," Kugler said. "They told me if I'm anywhere close, they are instructed to take the penalty. He said it's been this way for a couple of years now. By the way, he didn't have a sack against the Steelers in his only game this year, but he did have four in two last year."

Garrett spoke with Kugler and Daryl Johnston prior to his Week 15 matchup with the Bears due to them being the broadcast crew, and that is when he shared this story. It sounds like whoever is lined up across from Garrett is told not to give up a sack, even if it takes a holding penalty to slow him down.

Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike Tomlin despises offensive penalties, so it is hard to imagine this command was coming from him. The coach must believe that the potential 10-yard penalty is worth it, rather than handing the Browns and Garrett the momentum of actually getting to the quarterback and taking him to the ground.

Garrett had great performances against Pittsburgh in 2024 as he recorded four sacks total, and he had three of those in just one game. That had a lot to do with Russell Wilson looking lost whenever the ball was snapped back to him, but it also shows what Garrett can do on the field. He is sack-less through one game against Pittsburgh in 2025, but the two sides will clash once again in Week 17.

Steelers Have Several Reasons To Keep Myles Garrett Away From The Quarterback

The Steelers clearly want to limit what Garrett can do in a game, which includes sacks just because of the way that can ruin a drive for the offense. However, Pittsburgh also has some other motivations. The positional rivalry between Garrett and Watt is still alive, even though Garrett might be running away with the things in 2025. Through 15 weeks, he has 21.5 sacks, which means he is closing in on Watt's single-season sack record that he shares with Michael Strahan. The record sits at 22.5, which means things are shaping up for Garrett to break it against the Steelers.

The other reason to use penalties to keep Garrett off of the quarterback is the fact that Pittsburgh's quarterback is Aaron Rodgers. He is already playing through a fractured wrist, and the Steelers cannot take any more damage at the position.

What do you think about this message to the players from the coaching staff? Let us know in the comments below!

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