AFC Notes: Myles Garrett, Cameron Heyward, Lamar Jackson, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Browns

Browns DE Myles Garrett is viewed as one of the most gifted athletes in sports because of his unique combination of size and ability. Garrett doesn’t view himself that way and recalls the work he put in to become the athlete he is today.

“I still don’t look at myself as a special athlete. I’ve honestly just tried to work my behind off to just achieve the things that I set my mind to,” Garret said, via Scott Petrak of the Browns Zone. “It didn’t feel like anything special to me. It just felt like hard work just equaled what I put in.”

“I had to work harder to become coordinated. I had to work harder on my agility. And I wouldn’t say I was the strongest guy growing up, I would say I was pretty weak, I was pretty lean. And so I had to work hard to get bigger and to beef up.”

After winning his first DPOY award for the 2023 season, Garrett keeps his sole focus on winning Super Bowls and not being in the GOAT debates.

“I want to win the Super Bowl. I’ll say that point blank. But all the individual things I don’t really think about from a training standpoint. I just want to win and that drives me enough.”

“And being the greatest to ever play, that’d be a hell of an honor. But at the end of the day, that’s the opinions of my peers, which I highly respect, but I just want to be an approachable teammate, someone that people feel respect and compassion towards and from and someone they can look up to and look towards for guidance or help or advice.”

Ravens

When asked about Lamar Jackson having more flexibility to make changes at the line of scrimmage, Ravens OC Todd Monken said they are always looking to “empower” their players. 

“Sure, I mean we’re always looking, from the day I got here, to empower the quarterback,” Monken said, via ProfootballTalk. “I think that’s the only way you get the most out of a player — it’s not just a quarterback position — is to empower them. In terms of when you’re game-planning, what you do on the field and the tools you give them; we’ve had a great offseason to streamline that, to really wrap it up and make it better. We’re about to see if all the things that we did in the offseason and the way that we practiced come to fruition.”

Steelers

Steelers veteran DT Cameron Heyward is coming off a down season for someone of his caliber as he heads into year 14 in the NFL. Heyward has heard all the talk about his play and is ready to prove his doubters wrong.

“I’ve had to eat (criticism) and absorb it,” Heyward said Monday, via Will Graves of The Associated Press. “Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, but I want to make their opinion wrong, and I think I just look forward to playing good football.”

• Steelers HC Mike Tomlin mentioned he received good news regarding G Isaac Seumalo and believes he will return “sooner than later” from a pectoral strain. (Gerry Dulac)