Myles Garrett injury news has taken an unexpected turn after the Los Angeles Rams star made his highly anticipated debut against the San Francisco 49ers.

Garrett was cleared to play despite dealing with a knee issue that had limited him for much of training camp. However, his first game with the Rams did not go according to plan.

Los Angeles suffered a 27-7 loss to San Francisco in the NFL’s historic first regular-season game in Australia. More importantly, Garrett finished the game without a tackle, sack or quarterback pressure.

After the game, Garrett provided his most revealing comments yet about his health.

Here are five shocking updates every Rams and NFL fan should know.

1. Myles Garrett Was Cleared to Play Despite His Knee Issue

The first major update came before kickoff.

Garrett had been dealing with knee swelling throughout the summer. The issue kept him out of much of training camp and limited his preparation for the 2026 season.

Despite those concerns, Rams head coach Sean McVay said Garrett would be ready to play in Week 1.

The Rams’ final injury report also showed Garrett as a full participant with no game designation, meaning there was no official restriction preventing him from playing.

That was a major positive sign.

However, there was already a question about how effective Garrett could be after missing so many practice reps.

NBC Sports reported that Garrett had not practiced much during the summer because of knee swelling. He returned to practice shortly before the opener, but his preparation was still far from normal.

That concern became much bigger after the game.

2. Garrett Had a Shockingly Quiet Rams Debut

Garrett’s first game in a Rams uniform was one he will probably want to forget.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year finished with:

• 0 tackles
• 0 sacks
• 0 quarterback pressures
• 0 major defensive statistics

According to AP, it was only the fourth game in 135 career NFL games in which Garrett failed to record a tackle.

The performance was especially surprising because Garrett had just produced an NFL-record 23 sacks in 2025.

The 49ers also did an excellent job limiting his opportunities.

Veteran offensive tackle Trent Williams handled Garrett effectively throughout the matchup. Garrett reportedly had 27 pass-rush snaps but failed to record a pressure.

For a player expected to transform the Rams’ defense, that was a massive disappointment.

Still, one poor game does not automatically mean Garrett is finished or seriously injured.

The bigger story is what Garrett said afterward.

3. Garrett Admitted He Is Not 100% Healthy

This is the most important Myles Garrett injury update.

After the loss, Garrett acknowledged that his knee is still affecting him.

He described his performance as the “worst version” of himself and said he needed to recover and get back to the player he knows he can be.

That admission is significant.

Before the game, the Rams had presented Garrett as ready to go. McVay had publicly expressed confidence that the superstar would play.

But Garrett’s postgame comments showed that being available and being fully healthy are two different things.

Garrett also declined to provide detailed information about the knee.

According to AP, he would not even specify which knee was injured when discussing his health after the game.

Therefore, fans should be careful with social-media reports claiming a specific diagnosis unless the Rams or Garrett officially confirm it.

4. There Is Still No Official New Major Diagnosis

Despite the concerning performance, there is an important distinction to make.

There has been no confirmed report of a new major knee injury following the 49ers game.

The known issue remains the knee problem that limited Garrett during training camp.

Before Week 1, the Rams said Garrett was progressing and ultimately cleared him to play. The team’s final injury report listed him as a full participant.

That means the current situation is more accurately described as a lingering knee/health concern rather than a confirmed new severe injury.

This distinction matters.

A bad performance does not automatically mean a new structural injury occurred.

At the same time, Garrett’s own comments make it clear that he is not at full strength.

That is why the next several days could be extremely important.

5. Week 2 Could Reveal the Real Severity of the Problem

The next major question is simple:

Will Myles Garrett be ready to return to his normal level in Week 2?

The Rams are scheduled to face the New York Giants next, giving Garrett additional time to recover from the knee issue. Current reporting indicates he has roughly 10 days before the next game.

That extra recovery time could be valuable.

Garrett did not have a normal offseason preparation because of the knee problem. Therefore, the Rams may need to carefully manage his workload rather than immediately expecting the 2025 version of Garrett.

The Giants game should provide a much clearer picture.

If Garrett returns to full practice and begins generating pressure, the Week 1 performance could simply become an early-season anomaly.

However, if he remains limited or continues to struggle physically, the knee issue will become a much bigger concern for Los Angeles.

Why Myles Garrett’s Injury Situation Matters

The Rams did not acquire Garrett to be an ordinary defensive player.

They made him one of the centerpieces of their Super Bowl ambitions.

Garrett enters the season as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year after his record-setting 23-sack campaign. The Rams also invested heavily in their defense, making Garrett’s health particularly important.

His presence is supposed to create problems for opposing quarterbacks.

But that only works if Garrett is physically capable of playing at his usual level.

The Week 1 loss exposed that concern.

San Francisco was able to limit Garrett’s impact while Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes in the 49ers’ 27-7 victory.

The Rams will need much more from their superstar going forward.

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Myles Garrett Injury Status: What We Know Now

Here is the clearest picture based on the latest verified information:

The key takeaway is that Garrett was healthy enough to play, but he was clearly not operating at his normal level.

Should Rams Fans Be Worried?

There is reason for concern, but there is no reason to panic yet.

Garrett has a long track record of elite production and durability. He also missed only two games during his final five seasons with Cleveland, according to AP.

However, this situation is different because the knee problem affected his preparation before the season even started.

The biggest warning sign is not simply the zero-tackle performance.

It is Garrett’s own admission that he was not the player he wanted to be.

That makes his upcoming practice participation extremely important.

If he practices normally and looks explosive, the Rams can move forward with confidence.

If the knee continues to restrict him, Los Angeles may need to reconsider how aggressively it uses him.