Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is not happy with the officiating he’s seen through the first six games this season.
Garrett vented about a number of missed calls during a media briefing on Friday, well aware that his remarks could cut into his paycheck. NFL players and coaches are subject to league fines for criticizing the officiating.
“If I get fined, so be it,” said Garrett, per Cleveland.com. “Something needs to be said. If it keeps on going this way, this route, where it seems like we keep on getting the short stick. They can see us complaining or me blowing the whistle, but I’m going to go out there and play my game regardless.
“I’m going to give it 100 percent whether they give me calls or not. I don’t care if they’re for me or against me; I’m going to go out and play my game.”
Garrett cited what he felt were a number of calls in last weekend’s blowout loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He pointed a missed false start penalty on Chargers tackle Russell Okung and also noted a holding call against Okung near the end zone that Garrett thought could have went for a safety.
“There were a couple missed calls like that, and that’s not on Okung, he’s just doing his job,” said Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. “It’s on the ref and to him to have that kind of integrity to call that play when it comes.”
While acknowledging the lopsided final lopsided score, Garrett said the missed false start kept a drive alive for Los Angeles, leading to a last-minute touchdown and 21-3 halftime deficit.
“It’s momentum,” Garreett said. “Momentum matters in the game. No doubt. And a six-point turnaround, a seven-point turnaround like that where it could’ve been a sack or maybe a forced fumble if you keep on playing, or just a no play at all, to a touchdown, that’s a huge difference.”
Garrett, who already has 5.0 sacks this season after collecting 7.0 during his rookie season, also emphasized that Cleveland’s recent history — winning once in 32 games over the 2016-17 seasons — should not factor into the officiating.
“If it’s holding for them, if they’re grabbing us, if they’re turning us, if they’re trying to pull us out of a gap whether it’s a run play or a pass play, it needs to be called, he said. … At the end of the day, if they see it, they need to pull the flag out.”
