Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett was held without a tackle in the team's 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday in Australia, a performance he attributed to an ongoing knee issue.
Garrett, a significant offseason acquisition for the Rams, was largely ineffective against the 49ers' offensive line and struggled against the run. His lack of impact was unusual for the player who won Defensive Player of the Year during his tenure with the Cleveland Browns. The game marked the first time since Week 11 of the 2024 season that Garrett recorded no tackles, and only the fourth such occurrence in his career.
"I've got to be better," Garrett told reporters postgame. "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."
Head coach Sean McVay described Garrett's condition as "knee swelling" but provided no further details. Garrett was observed wearing a sleeve on his left knee during training camp practices. Netflix sideline reporter Tom Pellissero noted on the broadcast that Garrett appeared "gassed" whenever he left the field and that he was still experiencing pain from "lower leg stuff."
Despite the presence of fellow defensive linemen Byron Young and Kobie Turner, and the anticipation of Aaron Donald's eventual return from retirement, Garrett registered zero sacks and zero quarterback hits. 49ers left tackle Trent Williams, who was tasked with blocking Garrett, stated he "couldn't tell" that Garrett was not at 100 percent, adding that the defender was still "really hard to block."
The Rams' decision to travel to Australia just two days before the game, rather than acclimating to the time difference like the 49ers, was cited as a factor in the team's sluggish performance. The 49ers arrived more than a week prior, appearing to be the more rested and prepared team.
"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."
Following their trip to Melbourne, the Rams face a challenging upcoming schedule, hosting the New York Giants on "Monday Night Football" before playing the Denver Broncos on a short week.