Los Angeles Rams star pass rusher Myles Garrett is reportedly set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his ailing knee and be placed on injured reserve, a major early-season setback for a team with Super Bowl expectations.
The correct medical term is arthroscopic surgery—not “anthropologic” surgery. Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which surgeons use a small camera and instruments inserted through small incisions to examine and treat problems inside a joint.
Garrett’s knee has been a concern for Los Angeles for weeks. Rams head coach Sean McVay previously acknowledged that Garrett had been dealing with swelling in the knee during training camp, and the team limited his practice work while trying to get him ready for the regular season.
Garrett struggled in his Rams debut
The injury drew even more attention after Garrett’s first regular-season game with Los Angeles. In the Rams’ 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, Garrett finished without a tackle and later acknowledged that he was not physically at his best.
Garrett described the performance as the “worst version” of himself and said his focus would be on recovering and getting back to the level of play that has made him one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive players.
The Rams acquired Garrett from the Cleveland Browns during the offseason after a monster 2025 season in which he recorded an NFL-record 23 sacks. Los Angeles gave up a significant trade package to land the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, making his health one of the biggest storylines surrounding the team.
What injured reserve would mean
If Garrett is formally placed on injured reserve, he would be required to miss time before becoming eligible to return under NFL roster rules. The exact length of his absence will depend on the timing of the roster move, the surgical findings and his recovery.
For the Rams, losing Garrett would immediately change the look of a defense built around elite pass-rushing talent. Los Angeles entered the season with major expectations after adding Garrett and bringing veteran defensive star Aaron Donald back into the picture.
Garrett’s absence would also put more pressure on the rest of the Rams’ front seven to create pressure without the player who has consistently commanded double teams and extra blocking help throughout his career.
A developing situation in Los Angeles
As of publication, the Rams’ currently indexed official injury updates had documented Garrett’s knee swelling and limited practice work, but had not yet posted a formal team announcement confirming the reported arthroscopic procedure and injured-reserve move. Meeko News is treating the surgery and IR development as a breaking report and will update the story as additional official details are released.
What is already clear is that Garrett’s knee issue is more significant than it appeared earlier in training camp. After struggling through the season opener, the Rams now appear prepared to prioritize his long-term health instead of asking him to continue playing at less than full strength.
For a Los Angeles team built to compete for a championship now, how quickly Garrett can recover could become one of the defining storylines of the early 2026 NFL season.
Sources: Reuters; Los Angeles Rams.
