As the Cleveland Browns gear up for the 2025 NFL season, all eyes are on their OTA sessions, with Shedeur Sanders being the prime focus. His 7-of-9 passing, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions have become the talk of the town. But there’s also attention on those who didn’t show up at all. And chief among the absentees? Defensive superstar Myles Garrett.
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Garrett was spotted in Tokyo instead, attending the Crunchyroll Anime Awards with Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim — even teasing real estate shopping in Japan via Instagram.
While OTAs are officially voluntary, Garrett’s absence hasn’t gone unnoticed or uncriticized, especially among fans and local analysts. And leading the charge is Ken Carman of The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima, who didn’t mince words when talking about this topic.
“A leopard doesn’t change his spots,” Carman began. “He’s flirted with the idea of leadership in the past… but he’s not a leader. He never has been, and clearly he never will be.”
The 92.3 Fan Radio show host argued that expecting Garrett to suddenly become the emotional or vocal leader of the team is misguided, especially considering his track record. “You pay him money for sacks,” he added. “If they expect him to be a leader, then I’m sorry, they’re sadly mistaken… They look in the wrong place for leadership.”
“There are guys who can lead from those positions, and there’s guys who flirt with the idea of leadership. He’s a guy who has been flirtatious with it before. I think he’s tried to say the right things here and there — clearly, this is a man who doesn’t want to be a leader.”
Carman’s words echo a lingering concern about Garrett’s role on the team. After the Browns finalized the DE’s massive four-year, $160 million extension — which includes $123 million guaranteed — team owner Jimmy Haslam reportedly issued a challenge to the player, emphasizing that leadership was now expected.
But this wasn’t just lip service — the request came with the historical baggage of Garrett’s known tendency to show up late to meetings and miss mandatory team events.
That background, combined with his current Tokyo getaway while teammates report to camp, is fueling the growing skepticism. Still, head coach Kevin Stefanski painted a composed picture when asked about the DE’s absence.
“It’s really important to remember that this is a voluntary program and anybody who’s here, we’re excited about that,” Stefanski said. “There are guys that will be in and out of the program and that is totally their prerogative.”
That said, whether Myles Garrett likes it or not, the microscope will only tighten from here because at this point in his career, leadership can’t just be a concept he flirts with — it has to be something he embodies.
