Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett has fun with Halloween quarterback graveyard: 'I'm kind of a troll'

BEREA, OHIO — Myles Garrett has a chance Sunday to bury another quarterback for whom he has a tombstone.

The Browns All-Pro defensive end has the front yard of his Medina County (Ohio) home littered with playful Halloween decorations related to his job.

There are seven tombstones on Garrett's lawn with the names of the following NFL quarterbacks:

• Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals

• Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers

• Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears

• Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers

• Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals

• Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens

• Mac Jones of the New England Patriots

The Browns (3-2) will host Murray and the Cardinals (5-0) on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

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“The backstory of the cemetery? I'm kind of a troll a little bit, and people in my house like to have fun,” Garrett said after Friday's practice. “My family and friends, they thought it would be something cool to do for Halloween.”

An art enthusiast, Garrett said he did not paint the gravestones. Instead, his father, Lawrence, enlisted someone to do it.

“I had my dad get on it because he brought up the idea,” Garrett said. “I thought it sounded good and went with it.”

The idea has backfired to some extent, though, because strangers have been flocking to Garrett's house. He said the graveyard is "still fun and I still like looking at it," but he's annoyed by the gawkers.

"I didn’t think people would invade my privacy like that, but they’re there," he said. "It’s strange to have people come by my house. Hopefully they can leave me be ‘cause that is my place of refuge and residence. I don’t like people just driving by for whatever reason."

Garrett, who mentioned someone blocked his driveway on Thursday, laughed at the notion he has become a "get-off-my-lawn" guy.

"They always seem to show up when I'm not there, so I don't even get the chance to say, 'Get off my lawn,'" he said. "But I can't say no to kids. When trick or treating comes around, I'll definitely be there giving out candy. Like grown men and women just trying to drive up and say or do whatever or just trying to see me, please don't.”

Garrett loves Halloween and plans to wear a costume this year, though he wouldn't reveal his plan. Asked whether the trick-or-treaters who visit his house will receive full-size candy bars, Garrett joked, "That's out of my budget."

The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2017, Garrett has sacked five of the aforementioned quarterbacks. Murray and Jones, a rookie first-round selection, are the exceptions in the cemetery. He hasn't played either of them in the NFL, but he has a history with Murray, the No. 1 overall choice in 2019.

"High school, played with him in college [at Texas A&M University before he transferred to Oklahoma]," Garrett said. "It’s the same story. He’s quick. He can throw. He’s fast enough to burn you on the edge if you give him a single lane. So we’ve got to respect him, but we’ve also got to get after him. We can’t allow him to make those plays with his feet."

All of the quarterbacks represented in Garrett's graveyard are on the Browns' schedule this season.

Garrett sacked Herbert once in Sunday's 47-42 loss to the Chargers. Garrett sacked Fields 4½ times, setting the Browns' single-game franchise record in a 26-6 win over the Bears on Sept. 26.

The matchups with the other quarterbacks are slated for Sunday against Murray, Oct. 31 and Jan. 3 against Roethlisberger, Nov. 7 and Jan. 9 against Burrow, Nov. 28 and Dec. 12 against Jackson and Nov. 14 against Jones.

“I think [Garrett] had it pretty well thought out. It’s perfect,” Browns defensive line coach Chris Kiffin said Friday, adding he showed his children photographs of the decorations Thursday night.

“My kids got a kick out of it, too," Kiffin said. "I thought it was pretty cool.”

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he would show the photos to his three kids.

"More creative than my house,” Stefanski quipped.

Garrett's teammates approved of his creativity, too.

"That was real funny," running back Kareem Hunt said. "I liked that."

Now the Browns are hoping Garrett gives Murray the fright of his life Sunday.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' Myles Garrett has fun with Halloween quarterback graveyard