NFL Defensive Player of the Year 2025-26 Award Winner, Voting Results and Reaction

After a historic 2025 campaign, Myles Garrett has received one of the most coveted individual awards in football.

The Cleveland Browns star pass rusher was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday, marking the second time Garrett has earned that honor.

Garrett won the award unanimously, beating Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons, Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonnito, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Houston Texans linebacker Will Anderson Jr.

To say that Garrett had a special season would be an understatement.

The 30-year-old had five games with more than one sack, including a game in which he recorded five sacks, breaking his previous record for sacks in a single game.

In the span of three games at the end of October and beginning of November, he recorded 10 sacks.

The tremendous season had Garrett set up to break the single-season sack record, though it didn't come easy. After failing to record a sack in Week 17, Garrett finally picked up his 23rd sack in the fourth quarter of the Browns' season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.

That sacks broke Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt's previous record of 22.5 sacks.

Garrett's Record-Breaking Sack 👑

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Garrett finished the 2025 campaign with 60 tackles, which matched his career high. He added three forced fumbles, a pass breakup and, of course, his historic 23 sacks.

While a handful of other players around the league had Defensive Player of the Year-worthy seasons, it would have been impossible to give it to anyone other than Garrett.

The Browns' season as a whole was another disappointment as they finished 5-12, but it will be remembered for Garrett's dominant play on his way to another Defensive Player of the Year nod.