Myles Garrett’s arrival in Los Angeles wasn’t just about the trade—it was about the jersey number. On June 3, 2026, the Rams’ star defensive end revealed he paid “more than a couple bucks” to reclaim No. 95 from teammate Poona Ford, a decision that rippled through the Rams’ defensive line roster like a chain reaction. The trade that sent Garrett to L.A. was months in the making, but the jersey saga—equal parts football tradition and modern-day transaction—became the unexpected headline.
How a $95 jersey number became a $95 million trade’s quiet epilogue
The Rams’ 2026 offseason was supposed to be about building a dynasty. Instead, it became a masterclass in NFL logistics: how to move a franchise-altering player, how to negotiate a no-trade clause, and—yes—how to buy a jersey number from a teammate. Myles Garrett’s decision to wear No. 95 in L.A. wasn’t just sentimental; it was symbolic. The number had followed him from Cleveland, where it became a legend, to Los Angeles, where it would now belong to him alone. But the cost? More than Garrett let on.
The trade that broke the NFL: How Les Snead outmaneuvered a no-trade clause
The Rams’ general manager, Les Snead, had spent months trying to pry Garrett away from Cleveland. The process began in March 2026, when the Browns adjusted Garrett’s contract in a way that signaled he might be available. Snead, who had a personal relationship with Browns GM Andrew Berry, reached out immediately. “When Cleveland made the adjustment to his contract, not sure if it was a signal, they made an adjustment,” Snead told reporters. “I’ve got a good relationship with Andrew Berry, so I just checked in.” Berry initially turned down Snead’s offers, which included draft picks. But the Browns were willing to discuss a trade—if the Rams included Jared Verse, their own promising young pass rusher. The Rams hesitated. Verse had been a first-round pick in 2024 and was already a key part of their defensive future. “We tried to do this with draft compensation, then the draft came and went,” Snead said. “We picked talks back up, we tried to discuss more draft compensation. At the end of the day, where it got tough for us, is they asked for Jared Verse in return.”
For more on this story, see Browns Trade Myles Garrett to Rams in Shocking NFL Deal.
Garrett’s no-trade clause: The loophole that made the trade possible
No-trade clauses are standard in NFL contracts, giving players the final say on where they play. But Garrett’s clause had a twist: it was structured in a way that made him more likely to approve a trade to the Rams. According to Snead, Garrett had been in contact with McVay and Snead for weeks, expressing his desire to join the Rams. “We tried to do this with draft compensation, then the draft came and went,” Snead said. “We kept trying, we tried to figure out a solution.” The Browns, meanwhile, were shifting their focus. With Garrett’s contract set to expire after the 2026 season, they were more willing to part ways. The Rams, desperate to add a pass-rushing force to complement Aaron Donald’s retirement, were willing to pay the price—including Verse, a player they had drafted just two years earlier. The trade was finalized on June 1, 2026. But the real drama wasn’t in the paperwork—it was in the details. Garrett’s no-trade clause had been a red herring. He had never intended to block the move. “Myles had a no-trade clause,” Snead said. “But he didn’t say no.”No. 95: The jersey number that cost more than a “couple bucks”
Garrett’s jersey number had followed him from Cleveland to L.A. It was the number he had worn since his rookie season, the one that became synonymous with his dominance. When he arrived in Los Angeles, he made it clear: he wanted to keep it.“Just a conversation. It didn’t take too much.”
— Myles Garrett, on acquiring No.
The conversation, it turned out, involved more than just words. Poona Ford, who had worn No. 95 since joining the Rams in 2024, agreed to let Garrett take it—but not for free. “Maybe more than a couple, but he was open to it,” Garrett said when asked about the cost. The exact amount wasn’t disclosed, but the gesture was clear: Garrett wasn’t just buying a number. He was buying a piece of Rams history. The ripple effect was immediate. Ford switched to No. 97, Norton moved from 97 to 93, and Zdroik ended up with No. 62. The Rams’ defensive line had just undergone its own version of a roster shuffle—all because of a jersey number.What the trade means for the Rams’ defense—and Garrett’s legacy
Garrett’s arrival in Los Angeles wasn’t just about adding another star pass rusher. It was about reshaping the Rams’ defense. With Aaron Donald’s retirement looming, the Rams needed a player who could dominate like him—and Garrett was the answer. According to The New York Times, Garrett’s double-team rate on pass rush snaps was nearly 60 percent in 2025—the second-highest in the NFL. That kind of dominance forces offenses to adjust their entire protection scheme, making Garrett’s presence even more valuable.
