Dalvin Tomlinson sees ‘great friendship blossoming’ with Myles Garrett

On Mar 16, 2023

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dalvin Tomlinson (94) tackles Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021 in Minneapolis. Cleveland won 14-7. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Dalvin Tomlinson doesn’t fit into one category.

Tomlinson may be known by many as the newest Browns defensive tackle. However, that’s just scratching the surface of what he’s really about.

There’s a love for music, including the ability to play the piano, trumpet, snare drum, field drum and xylophone. There’s the side of him that has dabbled in anime art. There’s the honor student and three-time high school state wrestling champion.

“Just growing up, my mom always said if you have an interest in something, pursue it,” the 29-year-old Tomlinson said in an introductory Zoom call Thursday. “So I had a lot of interests as a kid, if it was video games, drawing, different sports and things of that nature. So just every time I want to try something new, I always just go for it, for the most part.”

Dalvin Tomlinson signs with Browns:Cleveland Browns announce deal with former Vikings defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson

Tomlinson, who signed a four-year free-agent deal with the Browns this week, wouldn’t be the first player to walk into a locker room carrying interests that go well beyond football. He’s certainly not going to be the only one walking into the Browns’ defensive line room with such a wide range of hobbies.

The most talented player in that room, All-Pro end Myles Garrett, is also one who has never shied away from showing his love for things other than the sport from which he draws a paycheck. Does Tomlinson see that as an entry point toward building a bond with his new teammate.

“Most definitely,” Tomlinson said. “Especially when I saw him do the Thanos infinity gauntlet snap like my sack celebration I’ll be doing all the time. So it’s definitely going to be a great friendship blossoming right there.”

What the Browns are looking forward to seeing blossom is an on-field partnership between Garrett and Tomlinson that results in a lot of miserable opposing offenses. Even playing with what were, by most standards, some of the worst-graded defensive tackles in the league a year ago, the former tied his single-season franchise sack record with 16.

Tomlinson, who stands 6-foot-3, 32 was signed with the expectation to help bolster that tackle group. If that does happen, it will certainly pay dividends for the Browns’ record-setting All-Pro edge rusher.

No one wants to do that more than Tomlinson, who believes he can be the perfect compliment to Garrett inside.

“I just feel like just using my power, getting off the ball and stuff like that,” Tomlinson said. “We’re both going to demand a lot of attention and just even if we’re on the same side, you can’t double team everybody up front. That’s the biggest thing. And just the more chemistry we’re going to build with each other through OTAs and training camp and all those things and just playing off of each other, I feel like the sky’s the limit.”

Tomlinson spent the previous two seasons playing for the Minnesota Vikings, recording 2.5 sacks in each of those seasons. The two years before that, the last two he played with the New York Giants, he had back-to-back 3.5-sack seasons, which are his career best.

Those numbers wouldn’t necessarily lead one to believe Tomlinson could have a major impact on the Browns’ pass rush. However, he’ll point out that his role is as much facilitator for others, as he did with his Viking teammates Za’Darius Smith (10 sacks in 2022) and Danielle Hunter (10.5 sacks).

“I feel like the biggest thing is, even if you are getting pressure on a quarterback, and I feel like I’m a type of player with my power rushing, I open up a lot of opportunities for the other guys playing with me as well,” Tomlinson said. “So if I’m not getting a sack, I’m flushing the quarterback out of the pocket to go and run straight into another defensive end’s arms. So I feel like, as long as we play off of each other, with the attacking defense, I feel like those numbers are continue to grow.”

Tomlinson said part of the draw to the Browns was what they were going to be running under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz intends to play. Schwartz’s philosophy has been known to be very favorable to defensive linemen like Tomlinson.

It’s a scheme that Tomlinson believes will allow him to display his own personal abilities. Those abilities, he believes, can help unlock not just himself, but others.

“Yeah, just with the defensive scheme, that was one of the biggest things, and just how physical that defensive scheme is attacking,” Tomlinson said. “It’s based all on attacking, get off the ball pretty much, and being able to use my power more to my advantage as of attacking everybody I line up against and just getting off the ball is just, I feel like it’s the best fit for me.”