Amanda Balionis called the NFL “the absolute best” after witnessing Myles Garrett set a new record in the Browns’ final game of the season. The CBS Sports sideline reporter shared her reaction from the field following a dramatic Week 18 finish in Cincinnati.

Following Cleveland’s game against the Bengals, Amanda Balionis posted a photo from Paycor Stadium where she was seen conducting a postgame interview. In her caption she reflected on how the record was broken late in the game and how tense the final moments were.

“A record that held for nearly a quarter of a century has officially been reset by @flash_garrett and my gawd was it fun to watch it all unfold,” Balionis wrote. “It took the last quarter in the last game of the season to reach sack #23 and then a Browns win that came down to the final seconds to claim. This game is the absolute best.”

The moment came when Myles Garrett brought down Joe Burrow in the fourth quarter giving him 23 sacks for the 2025 season. That sack broke the long-standing single-season NFL record of 22.5 previously set by Michael Strahan and later matched by T.J. Watt in 2021. The record-setting play also helped Cleveland secure a 20–18 win over Cincinnati closing the season with a 5–12 record.

Balionis has been covering Week 18 as part of her NFL duties with CBS Sports. Along with football she has also remained a regular presence on the network’s golf coverage, including major events during the 2025 season.

Amanda Balionis shares a wholesome moment featuring Myles Garrett’s father

Amanda Balionis shared a warm behind-the-scenes moment during the Browns’ Week 18 game. On January 4, 2025 Balionis posted an Instagram story from Cincinnati showing Lawrence Garrett taking photos from the stands. Myles Garrett’s father was seen using a large professional camera to capture his son’s final game of the season.

Balionis captioned the clip:

“Myles Garrett’s dad- Lawrence photographing his son’s final game of the season.”

She also added that he told her “photography is a shared hobby between them.” Talking more about Amanda Balionis Instagram story, here’s a look:

During the game, television cameras showed Lawrence in the stands with his camera focused on the field as his son played. After the game Myles Garrett was asked about seeing his family in the stands and his father’s camera.

“I try to tell him he gotta stop bringing that thing. It means a lot that they could be here,” he continued. “I wanted to do it for myself. Wanted so much to bring pride to my last name, my dad, my mom, and all those who came before me, especially my gran, who hasn’t been here for a while to see this, but I carry into the game every single time I walk onto the field,” Garrett said. (as per Sports Illustrated)

Balionis joined CBS Sports in 2017 as a part-time golf reporter and was promoted to a full-time role the following year. She later added college football and NFL coverage to her duties and has often shared behind-the-scenes moments from major games while interviewing athletes.