Myles Garrett Bails on Mike and Mike Spot Because Booger McFarland Was Critical Before

Myles Garrett was scheduled to be on Mike and Mike this morning, but the possible no. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft bailed on the interview. In announcing that decision, Greenberg said to Booger McFarland, an analyst for the SEC Network who is filling in for Golic today, “I’m told there is some sort of issue that he has with something you have said. That just is what it is — that would be neither the first nor last time that has happened.”

Greeny, who wanted to talk to Garrett about dinosaurs, wondered what McFarland had even said to draw his concern.

“I follow Texas A&M very closely, having worked with the SEC Network,” McFarland said. “Over the last couple years, I’ve followed Myles Garrett. I’ve talked about their team, and their lack of toughness — their lack of physicality — it’s one of the things that I’ve always looked at in Myles Garrett. Everyone looks at the numbers he put up at the Combine. They’re outstanding numbers, and the athletic ability says he’s going to be a Hall of Fame type player.

“I haven’t always seen the athleticism turn into playmaking ability on the football field, nor have I seen the physicality. To me, that’s the one question I have. So, in a day and age where we’re all watching the Combine saying, ‘Hey there he is, he’s the number 1 pick, best player ever,’ I’m just a little hesitant. And I always take a step back — because I’ve seen the guy play football — he is a tremendous athlete.

“But being an athlete doesn’t make you a football player. Ask Mike Mamula, who tore up the Combine but couldn’t break an egg in the NFL. I’m not saying Myles Garrett is gonna do that, but I just look at the tape — and the tape never lies, Greeny — and the tape has said that although he is a tremendous athlete, I just wonder how much does he love playing defensive line and being hit and the collisions that take place time after time. The tape says he’s been hesitant to do that over the last couple years.”

Garrett, by the way, is in Bristol today, and just appeared on SportsCenter. If that’s truly the extent of what McFarland had said about Garrett and Texas A&M before, it would have been more productive for McFarland to go on and respectfully counter those points. Or, for our purposes, yell at him! This cancellation of course probably doesn’t matter in the long run, but it’s another sign that Garrett is going to be under a microscope to perform in accordance with his Combine numbers for whomever drafts him.