On February 5, Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns received the Professional Athlete of the Year award during the Great Cleveland Sports Awards held at Rocket Arena. This recognition followed Garrett’s historic 2025 season where he was unanimously named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year after setting a new single-season sack record with 23.
Competition and Other Award Recipients at the Ceremony
Garrett’s competitors for the Professional Athlete of the Year award included Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians and Evan Mobley from the Cavaliers, both notable figures in Cleveland sports. The Guardians were also honored with the Best Moment in Cleveland Sports award for their remarkable comeback to claim the American League Central Division title after trailing by 15.5 games.
The event distributed several other awards recognizing excellence and courage in sports across multiple levels and disciplines.
Additional Honors Presented During the Event
The Jim Donovan Courage Award was given to Myles Grimmett, an Elyria high school basketball player who overcame bone cancer and pioneering surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. Hanford Dixon, former Browns cornerback, was celebrated with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contributions to the sport and community.
High School Athletes of the Year honors went to Marcus Johnson, a boys basketball player from Garfield Heights, and Saniyah Hall, a girls basketball standout from SPIRE Academy and native of Amherst. Shahn Alston, a Harvey running back finalist for the boys award and recipient of The News-Herald’s 2025 Tony Fisher Award, will advance his football career at USC.
College-level achievements were recognized with awards presented to Katie Clark, a women’s lacrosse player at Mount Union who hails from Walsh Jesuit, and Eric Colaco, a baseball player at Denison originally from Revere.
Notable Attendees and Highlights
The ceremony featured appearances by former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar who handed the Lifetime Achievement Award to Hanford Dixon. Additionally, David Griffith, the former Cavaliers general manager, took part in commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA championship season, highlighting a celebrated era in Cleveland sports history.
Significance of Garrett’s Award and Future Outlook
Myles Garrett’s achievement as Professional Athlete of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year underscores his dominant role as one of football’s most formidable defensive players. Setting a new record for sacks in a season not only highlights his athletic excellence but also elevates the profile of the Cleveland Browns franchise.
Garrett’s contributions and the recognition he has received are likely to inspire both teammates and aspiring athletes throughout the Cleveland area. The 2025 season will be remembered as a pivotal moment in Garrett’s career and a benchmark for defensive performance in professional football moving forward.
