Perhaps more so in the NFL, but as in any industry, success depends on self-awareness. On June 1st two teams agreed to a deal that took tremendous introspection and self-knowledge to 

see and make the right move. At the beginning of this month the Browns traded two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Rams. In return Los Angeles  gave Cleveland 2024 defensive rookie of the yearJared Verse, and  ‘27 first, ‘28 second, and ‘29 third round picks. 

 

Viewed from any  angle, this move involved facing a tough reality. 

 

Over the course of nine historic seasons, the Browns were reminded again and again of the generational talent they had in Myles Garrett. Among the best defensive players of all time, with a truly unique ability to get after the quarterback, Garrett defines what it means to be  a generational talent. In a quirk of fate, the Browns were faced with the  ugly truth that Garrett was suffocating in Cleveland (much like Barry Sanders’ historic 10 year run in Detroit more than a generation earlier). At the height of his powers, having turned thirty in December, Garrett was positioned to  help a contender win now. Otherworldly athleticism combined with elite pass-rushing skills had reached perfect equilibrium with knowledge and understanding of the game. Coming off a record-breaking twenty-three sack season, Garrett is in his prime - we’re seeing it live. The reality is that defensive ends typically suffer a precipitous decline. Garret may have at most one or two more seasons at this performance peak. The Browns understood that Garrett’s apex  would be wasted in Cleveland. Who knows what would have happened in Miami or Buffalo if Chuck Schmidt had reached out to these one-piece away AFC teams, like the Bruins finally did when Bourque had the chance to win it all with the Avs when Sinders reached out to Lacroix to orchestrate a win for the Captain?  Wrapping up a three-win campaign in 2025, the Browns aren’t contenders. The right decision was to say farewell to an all-time great and  build for the future. With Verse and the picks, the Browns’ may be able to do just that for Brown’s fans.

 

The Rams could also see that Myles Garrett’s productive years were numbered. They saw the timeline and recognized what he could give them over the next couple of years. The move also made history with the Rams having both the reigning MVP and DPOY on the roster, instantly making the Rams Super Bowl favorites. The Rams have committed to win-now. The ‘25 MVP Matthew Stafford turned thirty-eight in February and star WR Davante Adams is now thirty-three. Los Angeles’ front office harbors no illusions regarding their shrinking Super Bowl window. GM Les Snead and company are acutely aware there are only a few ticks left before they’ll have to transition to their highly-touted first-round QB investment Ty Simpson. The Garrett decision was obvious.

 

They also knew that it was going to be expensive. To secure the future Hall-of-Famer, the Rams gave up a future-king's ransom. Over the past decade, parting with premium draft capital to secure high-end talent has been the name of the game. Over the past ten years, the Rams have had a total of four first and second round draft selections. With the Garret concessions, the Rams have continued to mortgage their future. More important than the picks was the inclusion of DE Jared Verse. Verse was the crown jewel of the Rams “team of the future”. Going into his third year, Verse has his whole career ahead of him. Going all in on their championship window the Rams have accepted that after the smoke clears, title or not, the next era of Rams football will be much tougher than the Rams’ fans have grown accustomed to.

 

It is a ruthless level of self-awareness–one echoed in the words of famous Nobel Laureate  physicist Richard Feynman:

 

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool”

 

Whether in sports, business, social situations or even theoretical physics the first step to growth is unyielding genuineness and self-knowledge. 

 

The Rams are in position to contend due to this ability. Likewise, the Browns have secured a greater future for the same reason.