Introspection could help Garrett find answers to his outburst
Athletes who read books can be violent, too, you know. As we try to make sense of Myles Garrett's harrowing display of rage Thursday night, let's rip off that bit of naivete and prejudice. Learned people can be as vicious as anyone.
Garrett, the Cleveland Browns defensive end who went to Texas A&M, isn't the anti-football player because he can talk astrophysics and recite poetry, because he aspires to be a paleontologist. Most of the shock that he could lose his mind starts there: How can such a soft-spoken and bright dude swing a helmet and assault a quarterback? Why would Garrett, of all athletes, act in such a visceral and savage manner?
Is football violent because violent men play it? Or does the game's violence corrupt absolutely?
The outrage over this incident is both understood and warranted. With his disturbing assault, Garrett could have hurt Mason
Rudolph badly. Even though Rudolph came away uninjured, the incident is still the ugliest brawl to occur recently during a major sporting event, and it's one of the scariest physical confrontations in the history of athletics. So no one should be questioning the NFL's decision to suspend Garrett indefinitely; for certain, he's gone for the remainder of the 2019 season, and he must prove himself worthy of reinstatement after that.
But as this story advances, as Garrett shows remorse, attempts rehabilitation and strives to move forward with his otherwise magnificent career, a question will remain: Why?
Our disdain won't answer that. Garrett will be sentenced, beyond suspension, to a lifetime of public condemnation. Even if he recovers and forges a Hall of Fame career, this chapter will be a major part of his story.
Nevertheless, there's a chance something useful can come from this chaos, something more sophisticated than anger and vilification in perpetuity. So, back to that question: Why?
The basic answer is that no player can be certain he is immune to the emotional landmines of football, or intense competition in general. No league can be certain it teaches sportsmanship and polices the players well enough to have no concerns. But there's a chance, if he takes it, that Garrett can get to some better, deeper and more beneficial truths about violence in sports, how players can make the proper corrections and what all sports leagues can do to be more enterprising and instructional in helping athletes manage their intensity.
Garrett isn't just one of the last people we thought capable of this level of violence. It may sound strange, but he's also one of the best people to have to rehabilitate himself. That's because, in everything he has shown over the years, the former No. 1 overall draft pick has a mind that will want to find out why.
Now, the resumption of his career depends on Garrett proving to the NFL that he can evolve and be better than the limitstesting defensive end who, before his shocking eruption, had been fined twice earlier this season for illegal or dirty plays. If Garrett resists turning defensive — so far, he appears to be accountable and to understand the seriousness of his acts — and deals with the suspension in his usual, scholarly way, he will learn about himself. And his natural curiosity will make him want to learn more. If he can be earnest and introspective and unafraid of personal demons, his sin can turn into more than terminal shame.
"Last night, I made a terrible mistake," Garrett said in a statement Friday after the NFL announced his suspension. "I lost my cool and what I did was selfish and unacceptable. I know that we are all responsible for our actions, and I can only prove my true character through my actions moving forward. I want to apologize to Mason Rudolph, my teammates, our entire organization, our fans and to the NFL. I know I have to be accountable for what happened, learn from my mistake, and I fully intend to do so."
There is no defending Garrett. Nothing, not even numerous examples of his character, should allow him to escape all the scorn and punishment he is due. I doubt it will happen despite the speculation, but if Rudolph wants to pursue criminal assault charges, so be it. Garrett has to own every aspect of his rage.
We've all gotten good at anger and punishment, but few emphasize reform. Some people can't reform, and some acts are so horrible that we don't want them to be considered worthy of reform. Based on all we know about Garrett, it's possible he can come out of this terrible situation a better, smarter and more restrained competitor. He can find out why and speak it to a greater audience, not just do the minimum for reinstatement. Let's hope he chooses that path.
I keep thinking back to his fascination with paleontology. He loves dinosaurs, love fossils. He loves what they teach us about how the world used to be and how it evolved. He'd rather talk about that subject than swim moves and sacks. In any conversation you have with Garrett, his analytical mind stands out.
Now we know, along with his charming side, there's a darkness to him. Why? And is the answer personal or applicable to a larger sample of athletes? These are mysteries we never resolve in these cases. After scaring football fans across the world, Garrett now has an opportunity to research, probe and educate.
Garrett may have destroyed his reputation and ruined the Browns' chances to make a comeback this season, but the rest of him seems intact. As he waits to play again, he has an odd yet pivotal opportunity to prove this is true.