‘Glad to be back.’ Myles Garrett expected to play for Rams vs. Commanders
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- Barring any setbacks, Myles Garrett is expected to play for the Rams against the Washington Commanders after missing seven games because of a knee injury.
For seven games, Myles Garrett could only watch the Rams from a stadium suite, on television or from the sideline as the team favored to win the Super Bowl stumbled to a slow start.
The two-time NFL defensive player of the year was out of action because of a knee injury that required surgery after a season-opening defeat by the San Francisco 49ers in Australia.
But the star edge rusher practiced this week, and barring any setbacks, he will return from injured reserve and play Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
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“Glad to be back on the field with my teammates, making an impact, feeling their presence and integrating back with them again,” Garrett said Friday.
The Rams were 2-4 before defeating the Las Vegas Raiders and the Chargers to even their record.
So coach Sean McVay is looking forward to Garrett joining a front that includes three-time NFL defensive player of the year Aaron Donald and other linemen that have performed well as Garrett and Kobie Turner work their way back from injuries.
“It has been exciting to be able to get Myles back into the mix with the other guys that I think have played really well up front and we’ve got to be able to bring it to life, and it will be fun to see,” McVay said.
Garrett, 30, was sidelined for much of training camp because of an unspecified knee issue. He had no tackles in the 27-7 defeat by the 49ers and said afterward that his performance was “the worst version” of himself.
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is still kicking himself for failing to capitalize on a prime scoop-and-score chance against the Chargers.
Garrett said Friday that was not a “specific moment or time” when he was injured.
“It kind of all cascaded,” he said.
The decision to have surgery was made after the loss to the 49ers.
“I was just frustrated after the game,” he said. “I knew that wasn’t me, and I was being hampered by something. And I knew we had already had that conversation, so afterward we kind of opened it back up.
“I didn’t want to miss any time, but I had to be realistic about where I was at physically, and had to make the best choice for myself and the team.”
Now that he is back, the Rams can finally field a front that includes Garrett and Donald. The two have combined for 236½ sacks during careers that are expected to land both in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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After the Rams traded for Garrett in June, Donald ended a two-year retirement two months later to join him.
“He kept us in suspense for quite awhile,” Garrett said, “so it was very exciting to hear about that.”
Donald, however, did not play in the opener.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get on the field and actually play some real snaps with him,” Garrett said.
