Should Browns' Myles Garrett even be eligible for NFL Comeback Player of the Year?
Cleveland's Myles Garrett had his 2019 season cut short but only has himself to blame.
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The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award is rather nebulous in nature. It's supposed to go to "a player who has overcome adversity from the previous season -- such as an injury or poor performance -- and performed at a high level." So, sure, if a player missed most of a previous year because he was hurt, then he absolutely deserves Comeback Player of the Year consideration if he follows it with a big statistical season.
Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, for example, and Tampa Bay's Rob Gronkowski are the +350 co-favorites on the moneyline odds at William Hill sportsbook to win the 2020 award. Big Ben suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 last year and Gronk was retired. They fit the criteria for this award perfectly.
What about Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett, though? No one can question Garrett's talent as the former No. 1 overall pick has totaled 30.5 sacks in his first three seasons despite playing 37 of a possible 48 games. But he has done some stupid things on the field.
Last year, he became infamous in league history by nearly braining Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with his own helmet in a Week 11 game in Cleveland. There was a bit of a melee between the teams in the final seconds. Garrett later accused Rudolph of calling him a racial slur during the skirmish, but that has never been proven and vehemently denied by Rudolph.
The NFL suspended Garrett indefinitely, but he was reinstated in mid-February. The Browns went 2-4 without Garrett and their defense allowed at least 31 points in each of a three-game losing streak to close out 2019. Does Garrett really deserve Comeback Player of the Year consideration for that heinous offense? Plus, he did play 10 of 16 games. No Brown has ever won the award.
Garrett is also +2500 to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The team is talking to Garrett's camp about a mega-extension of his rookie deal that could see Garrett become the first defensive end to get $25 million per season. He's only 24.
The Browns are in Baltimore Week 1 and are 8.5-point underdogs on the NFL odds. Garrett first sees Pittsburgh again on Oct. 16 in the Steel City.
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