Myles Garrett gets shut out vs. 49ers: What NFL's best defensive player said after listless Rams debut

Myles Garrett recorded zero tackles and zero sacks in his Rams debut, citing a lingering knee injury during the season-opening loss to the 49ers

Sep 11, 2026 at 11:22 am ET • 1 min read

It was a debut to forget for Los Angeles Rams star Myles Garrett. Not only did the Rams lose to division rival San Francisco 49ers, 27-7, in Melbourne, Australia, but Garrett was essentially a total non-factor.

Garrett described his own performance as "the worst version of myself that I've put out there," according to ESPN.

Statistically, Garrett is probably correct. He finished the game with zero tackles, as well as zero sacks and zero quarterback hits. According to Tru Media, it was just the fourth time in his career that he's failed to tally a single one of those stats. The last time it happened was in 2024.

Season	Week	Opponent	Tackles	Sacks	Hits
2023	13	Rams	0	0	0
2024	5	Commanders	0	0	0
2024	11	Saints	0	0	0
2026	1	49ers	0	0	0

Garrett split his time almost equally between the right (21 snaps) and left (19 snaps) sides of the defensive line, according to Pro Football Focus, but he couldn't get much going against either Trent Williams or Colton McKivitz. He did generate three hurries on the evening, per PFF, but didn't come very close to taking Brock Purdy to the ground. 

"I've got to be better," Garrett said. "I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be, and I've shown that I've been before."

Garrett didn't necessarily excuse the performance, but he did mention that he was still dealing with the knee injury that bothered him throughout training camp. When asked what he needs to work on moving forward, Garrett specifically stated his health needs to improve the most.

"When I was out there, I was a little bit more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than what they were doing, and that showed," Garrett said. "I wasn't who I needed to be for my team."

Garrett will have another 11 days to get rested before the Rams take on the Giants on "Monday Night Football" in Week 2. 

By then, he could also have another high-level player along the defensive line to draw attention away from him as well, as Aaron Donald could make his season debut after he sat out the opener against San Francisco. Perhaps the time off and the presence of another former All-Pro could kick Garrett into gear and help the Rams' defense reach the level many expected of it coming into this season.