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Josh Allen is trying to avoid making history Sunday against the Browns.
Myles Garrett has the chance to make history Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, and Josh Allen is going to try to make the Cleveland Browns‘ game-wrecking EDGE rusher wait at least another week before recording his 23rd sack of 2025.
Allen spoke candidly about Garrett’s pursuit of the record and why he doesn’t want to be the quarterback for the record-breaking sack ahead of their showdown in Cleveland on Sunday.
Garrett is having a season for the ages in the first year of his massive, four-year, $165 million contract that was signed in the offseason.
The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is a shoo-in to win that award again this year, since he has 21.5 sacks in just 14 games and is 1.5 shy of both Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt, who share the single-season record.
Josh Allen Doesn’t Want To Be A Part of Myles Garrett’s Highlight Tape
Allen is, of course, perhaps the most mobile quarterback in the NFL, since the reigning AP MVP has the most rushing yards of any quarterback (535) this season.
But Allen has been sacked 33 times this season, tied with Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens for sixth-most in the NFL — though Allen has played three more games than the 2024 Pro Football Writers Association NFL MVP.
Yet when asked, Allen said he’ll do whatever he can to avoid being the one on highlight reels for years to come.
“I do like highlight tapes, but I don’t like being a part of other people’s highlight tapes,” Allen said.
Allen has been sacked at least once in all but two of his games, and he lauded Garrett’s physical gifts and explained what makes him elite.
“He’s the biggest guy out there. He’s the fastest guy out there,” Allen said. “His ability to get off blocks [and] his motor is really higher than anybody else. He can beat you with speed and power. He’s just the all-around football player.”
Garrett has been a monster over the past eight weeks. Garrett has 17.5 sacks in his past eight games, including a five-sack game against the New England Patriots, a four-sack game against Jackson and the Ravens and a three-sack game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 23.
“He’s an absolutely tremendous football player,” Allen said. “He’s one of the greatest of all times. He’s a force to be reckoned with, and we’ve got to be ready for everything that [he] can throw at us. You have to be aware of where No. 95 is at all times.”
Josh Allen Would Be In Good Company If Myles Garrett Broke The Sack Record Sunday
Garrett’s five-sack game came in a 32-13 Patriots win at Gillette Stadium, and the four-sack game came in a seven-point Ravens win in Cleveland.
So the Bills are, obviously, focused on winning the game over keeping Garrett from making history.
But even if Garrett tackles Allen twice behind the line of scrimmage, the Bills QB would some mixed company if he took the record-setting sack.
Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers, of course, took a dive for Strahan to become the first to reach 22.5, and Mark Gastineau logged his sack against Steve DeBerg. Tyler Huntley, and not Jackson, was the QB when Watt tied the record.
So Allen would add a level of star power.
Pat Pickens is an experienced sports writer and media personality who has written for outlets like NHL.com, the Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today. He covers the NFL, NBA, NHL and NBA as a breaking news contributor at Heavy. More about Pat Pickens
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