“I wasn’t 100 percent”: Myles Garrett’s health admission makes Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl hype look shaky amid Jared Verse trade and Aaron Donald return questions (Image via Getty: Myles Garrett)
The Los Angeles Rams lost 27-7 against the San Francisco 49ers in the 2026 NFL season opener in Melbourne, Australia. Myles Garrett told reporters in the post-game press conference that he did not feel 100 percent healthy. If Myles Garrett knew he wasn’t 100 percent healthy, then why did he play? If the 30-year-old defensive end knew he wasn’t 100 percent healthy, then why did he play? The very first game was supposed to be a win, considering they have to win 16 more to reach the Super Bowl.
“When I was out there, I was a little more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than on what they were doing, and it showed,” Garrett said. Myles Garrett got everyone’s hopes up.
It was going to set the record straight on the 2026 offseason hype.
NBC Sports’ Mike Florio said the urgency to play Garrett in the very first game was very strong, considering he finally got the trade he wanted for years, and the transaction clearly made the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl favorites. The first game was obviously going to be an eye-opener. And it sure did.
The Rams were bringing the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year recipient Myles Garrett to their team, and they were instantly favored to win the Super Bowl. A player should be healthiest in Week 1. Now the Rams have their bye week in Week 11, which means Garrett has nine more games to play continuously with no time to recover.
That’s alarming and unusual, according to Mike Florio. But playing when not healthy? If they did, Florio wondered why the team used Garrett for six special-teams snaps, hoping he could show his magic and block a kick or two.
He also questioned whether the Rams knew about Garrett’s health status before the game.