BEREA — Myles Garrett had a smile on his face Thursday. To say the Browns star defensive end had a skip to his step, though, might be taking it a bit too far.
What you couldn't say Garrett had was the shuffling limp he was walking with around the locker room after last Sunday's 21-15 loss to the New York Giants. That's the most important thing the Browns and Garrett are both looking for as he tries to navigate his way through foot issues that have hampered him this season.
The goal isn't for Garrett to be on the field Wednesday, which he wasn't. The goal is for him to be on the field Sunday when the Browns play at the Las Vegas Raiders.
To achieve that requires Garrett to take a simple approach to everything.
"Well, just manage it as we go," Garrett said Thursday. "We've got multiple days to do that. … I try to spend every moment preparing my body for the rigors of the season and sometimes some bumps and bruises like I have now. An injured animal is the fiercest, so I'm going to be at my best.”
Garrett returned to the practice field Thursday, a day earlier than he had the previous week. Both weeks he did not practice Wednesday because of the troubles he's had with both feet.
Those troubles lately have extended to issues with his thigh and Achilles. None of that has Garrett thinking about shutting things down.
“We haven't talked about the entire season," Garrett said. "We're talking about one game at a time, so make it through this game, see how I feel next and then each one individually. We make it to the bye week and then we evaluate, see where we are and we go from there."
Multiple times over the last couple of weeks, Garrett has spoken about the management of the pain. Each step from the last one he takes leaving the game field each Sunday is about building up to being able to take that first one onto the field the next Sunday.
Garrett knows a little rest is probably what his body needs. It's not going to happen Sunday in Las Vegas, or for a while if he has his say.
“Maybe, but that's what we have a bye week for," Garrett said of the benefits of rest. "So until then you're not going to get enough of 95.”
The Browns' opponents already have had enough of "95," even in his not-100% state. Despite the foot issues, Garrett has already notched 15 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, including two strip sacks.
The Giants game may have been Garrett's worst in terms of the amount of pain with which he was playing. He made multiple trips to the medical tent, and even spent several minutes on the ground being assisted by the training staff after one play.
Garrett finished the game with nine pressures on New York quarterback Daniel Jones, a season high. He didn't record a sack, but did get six quarterback hurries.
"Yeah, I felt like I was limited," Garrett said. "But, again, I won't make any excuses for it. That's just what it is right now and everyone's dealing with their own issues, whether physically or mentally. Mine happen to be very apparent. So we’re going to get them as right as they can and then I'll be out there and playing at the best that I can."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'Injured animal is the fiercest': Myles Garrett not letting pain keep from out of the game
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