The Los Angeles Rams started the 2026-27 NFL season with a lopsided 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in their Week 1 opener, and the outlook for the squad led by Sean McVay remains uncertain following Myles Garrett‘s knee surgery.
After the significant setback, head coach Sean McVay addressed the media regarding the timeline for Garrett’s recovery. According to Nate Atkins on X, McVay stated that he is uncertain about how long Garrett will be out following his knee surgery, though it is confirmed that Garrett will miss at least four games while on injured reserve.
Further explaining the decision to hold back on a definitive recovery timeline, Stu Jackson reported on X that McVay wants to wait until he has all the post-surgery information before providing a clearer estimate.
What happened to Garrett?
Prominent edge rusher Myles Garrett began experiencing knee discomfort and swelling during training camp, which forced him to miss most of the team’s practice sessions in the weeks leading up to the season opener. However, Garrett failed to register a single tackle and looked well below his usual standard during Friday’s embarrassing loss to the 49ers in Australia.
Myles Garrett #95 of the Los Angeles Rams
The 30-year-old Garrett will miss next Monday’s home game against the New York Giants, road matchups against Denver and Philadelphia, and a home contest against the Buffalo Bills before becoming eligible to return. McVay offered no estimated timeline for his return.
“It’s all contingent on how do things go [Monday],” McVay said. “But I think it would be unfair to him, without having the totality of all the information, to put any sort of timeline on it.”
The decision made by Garrett
Garrett, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, played only 40 of 65 snaps against the 49ers. McVay said the decision to pursue surgery was made after consulting with Garrett immediately after the game.
“We thought we were doing the right thing,” McVay said of the Rams’ attempt to manage the situation. “In hindsight, you’ll always be able to learn from it. I’ll never hang onto whether you want to say it was a mistake or just different things to be able to kind of change course.”
With Garrett out, the Rams could use a spark for a defense that allowed three touchdown passes and 174 rushing yards against the 49ers. The 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals all won their openers, putting the Rams in last place in the NFC West. While it remains early in the season, the road to a spot in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium suddenly appears more challenging.
