The Pittsburgh Steelers caught a huge win this week when it was announced that Myles Garrett would no longer reside in the AFC North after being traded from the Browns to the Los Angeles Rams.

After seeing Garrett twice a year for the better part of the last decade, the only way the Steelers will play against him in 2026 will be if both they and the Los Angeles Rams make it to the Super Bowl. While the odds remain stacked against them for that scenario, the odds that Myles Garrett never returns to the AFC North, including as a member of the Steelers, are very high after seeing the trade details.

Browns’ 2029 3rd round pick turns to a first if Myles Garrett is traded back to the AFC

The condition on the #Browns 2029 3rd round pick? It becomes a 1st if the #Rams trade Myles Garrett into the #AFCNorth: pic.twitter.com/hFo84Nvo7D

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) June 3, 2026

So it’s safe to say that the odds that the Steelers ever see Garrett again, including on their own team, or at least before 2029, are very low. If he were to return in 2030, he would be in his mid-30s at that point, which, even for a player of his caliber, would be teeing off on the 18th green.

The real reason the Browns put the condition on the 3rd round pick

The bigger story here is that the Browns desperately don’t want to see Garrett anytime soon. Which makes sense. When you trade away a Mt. Rushmore player (a situation the Steelers may have to consider with T.J. Watt), the last thing you want to do is give him more fuel for his fire.

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It’s why in division trades are so rare (unless you’re Andrew Berry with Joe Flacco) and even in-conference trades. Look at the A.J. Brown situation. He was traded from the Titans (AFC) to the Eagles (NFC), then back to the AFC with the Patriots.

So the bottom line here is that the Pittsburgh Steelers not only won’t have to see Garrett in 2026, but probably ever again in the AFC North.