Todd Monken Says He Hasn't Met Myles Garrett Yet in Trending Video, Browns HC Was Hired in January

It has been months since the Cleveland Browns hired Todd Monken as their new head coach in January, but he still hasn't met the team's best player.

"No," Monken said when asked on Wednesday whether he had met Myles Garrett face-to-face:

It may be surprising the coach is yet to meet Garrett, but the star defensive end not being in attendance for voluntary OTAs is also business as usual.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported he wasn't expected to attend this year after he didn't attend last year either. Of course, all Garrett did last season was break the NFL's single-season sack record while taking home the Defensive Player of the Year award.

"Garrett has a process for getting ready to play, and the Browns don't have a problem with it," Cabot wrote.

Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk noted it remains unclear whether he will be in attendance for the team's mandatory minicamp next month either even though he will face a fine if he skips it just like he cost himself $1 million by skipping the team's minicamp last month.

Monken added more context to his interactions with Garrett, adding they have only spoken through text messages, per Cabot.

"Hasn't been a lot. This is voluntary," the coach said. "We're making a big deal out of this. We really are. It's voluntary. We have other guys besides Myles that aren't here. I wish they were here. They'll be ready. We expect them to be ready and we'll be fired up when they're here."

Garrett's Record-Breaking Sack 👑

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Surely, the coach would prefer the face of Cleveland's defense to be in attendance as he looks to build relationships with all the team's most important players.

But it is also hard to argue with the results, as Garrett is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro First-Team selection who set the record last season with 23 sacks.

He knows what he has to do to get ready for the season, and he will likely be right there leading the way when the Browns open the 2026 campaign on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.