Why the Myles Garrett Halloween Costume Is Always the Scariest Thing in the NFL

Why the Myles Garrett Halloween Costume Is Always the Scariest Thing in the NFL

Myles Garrett is a massive human being. When you stand 6-foot-4 and weigh 272 pounds with a 41-inch vertical, you don't really need a costume to be intimidating. You just need to show up. But every October, the Cleveland Browns’ defensive end decides that leading the league in sacks isn't enough. He wants to win the spooky season, too.

Usually, NFL players do the "fashion walk" into the stadium wearing designer suits or high-end streetwear. Not Myles. He treats the tunnel like a movie set. Honestly, it’s become a tradition that fans look forward to almost as much as the actual game. If you're a quarterback, seeing a Myles Garrett Halloween costume isn't just a holiday fun fact—it’s basically a psychological warfare tactic.

The Year He Became the Terminator

In October 2024, Garrett took things to a level we hadn’t really seen before. He didn't just go to a Spirit Halloween and grab a plastic mask. He actually collaborated with a former Hollywood costume design team, Mike Castro of Madness FX, to create a hyper-realistic "Terminator" look.

The mask was genuinely unsettling. It featured the half-burned, half-machine face of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800. It wasn't just a mask; it was a prosthetic masterpiece that made him completely unrecognizable. He walked into Huntington Bank Field wearing the classic leather jacket and dark shades, looking like he’d just stepped out of a 1984 film reel.

Even Arnold himself had to weigh in. Schwarzenegger posted on X (formerly Twitter) giving Garrett a "10/10" with "no notes." When the Terminator tells you that you’ve nailed the look, you’ve pretty much peaked as a fan of the holiday. The Browns ended up beating the Ravens 29-24 that day, which suggests that maybe, just maybe, looking like an unstoppable cyborg gives you a bit of an edge on the field.

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Vecna and the "Quarterback Graveyard"

Before the Terminator, there was Vecna. In 2022, Garrett leaned into his love for Stranger Things. He didn't just dress as the villain; he brought the "Upside Down" to Cleveland. This wasn't some casual hobbyist effort. He worked with FX artists to ensure the textures of the costume looked like actual rotting flesh and vines.

But the real legendary move—the one people still talk about—is his front yard.

For years, Garrett has turned his home in Wadsworth into a literal quarterback graveyard. He sets up tombstones on his lawn, each one featuring the name and jersey number of a quarterback he’s sacked. We’re talking Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Mac Jones—nobody is safe from the lawn decor.

  • 2021: The "Sack Reaper" costume debuted.
  • 2022: The Vecna transformation coincided with a "Stranger Things" themed yard.
  • 2023: He went as the Creeper from Jeepers Creepers.
  • 2024: The T-800 Terminator.

The graveyard is a bit of "troll" behavior, as Myles himself admitted to reporters. He’s a guy who loves Dungeons & Dragons, anime, and prehistoric fossils. He’s a nerd in a world-class athlete’s body, and Halloween is where those two worlds collide perfectly.

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Is It Just for Show?

Some people think it's a distraction. Critics always crawl out of the woodwork when a star player does something flashy and the team isn't 10-0. They’ll say, "Maybe focus on the playbook instead of the prosthetic makeup."

But that misses the point of who Myles Garrett is.

He’s a guy who plays better when he’s having fun. The 2024 Terminator game is a perfect example. He was a menace to Lamar Jackson all afternoon. The pressure he applies on the field matches the effort he puts into these costumes. It’s about commitment. If you’re going to spend three days having a glove custom-fitted for a Vecna costume, you’re probably the same kind of person who’s going to spend hours in the film room studying a left tackle’s hand placement.

Why the Costumes Rank So High

Most NFL players' costumes are "punny" or low-effort. Myles goes for cinematic accuracy. He uses real Hollywood connections. He picks villains that mirror his role on the field: the hunter, the unstoppable force, the one who brings the "scare" to the pocket.

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It’s also about the fans. Cleveland has had some rough years, and Garrett knows that giving the "Dawg Pound" something to cheer for before the kickoff even happens is part of being a franchise cornerstone.

How to Get the Myles Garrett Look (Sorta)

You probably don’t have a Hollywood FX budget or a 272-pound frame. That’s fine. If you want to channel the energy of a Myles Garrett Halloween costume, you have to focus on the "Quarterback Graveyard" concept. It’s the most accessible part of his tradition.

  1. Personalize the "Victims": Don't just buy generic tombstones. Put the names of your "rivals" on them (in a fun way, obviously).
  2. Go for Realism: If you're doing a mask, skip the rubber ones from the grocery store. Look for silicone or high-detail resin.
  3. Commit to the Bit: Garrett doesn't break character in the tunnel. He walks slow. He looks the part.

Myles has already teased that his 2025 and 2026 plans are meant to top everything he’s done so far. He recently ranked his previous outfits and put the "Sack Reaper" at the bottom of the top five. That tells you everything you need to know. For him, the bar is always moving higher.

If you’re looking to build your own version of the QB graveyard or want to track his next big reveal, keep an eye on his social media around mid-October. He usually starts dropping "hints" early. Just remember, if you see your name on a headstone in Wadsworth, you're probably in for a long Sunday.

Actionable Insight: To recreate the "Sack Reaper" look at home, focus on a high-quality hooded cloak and a custom-painted scythe. For the graveyard, use corrugated plastic for the headstones so they can survive the October rain—something Myles definitely has to account for in Ohio.