More fallout from the Browns/Steelers brawl, as Myles Garrett and Cleveland owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have both issued statements via the team’s official site. “We are extremely disappointed in what transpired last evening at the end of our game. There is no place for that in football and that is not reflective of the core values we strive for as an organization. We sincerely apologize to Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Myles Garrett has been a good teammate and member of our organization and community for the last three years but his actions last night were completely unacceptable. We understand the consequences from the league for his actions,” the Haslams said.
Garrett’s statement read “last night, I made a terrible mistake. I lost my cool and what I did was selfish and unacceptable. I know that we are all responsible for our actions and I can only prove my true character through my actions moving forward. I want to apologize to Mason Rudolph, my teammates, our entire organization, our fans and to the NFL. I know I have to be accountable for what happened, learn from my mistake and I fully intend to do so.”
Here’s some more on the situation:
- Maurkice Pouncey, suspended three games for pummeling Garrett after he hit Rudolph with his helmet, is going to appeal his suspension, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). The Steelers play the Browns again in two weeks and the league almost certainly wants to keep him out of that game, but maybe he’ll be able to get his suspension reduced from three to two games. Pouncey is a key member of the offensive line, and the seven-time Pro Bowler will be sorely missed as long as he’s not manning the pivot.
- Rudolph may have escaped without a suspension, but he isn’t being held totally blameless by the league office. The quarterback will indeed be fined for his role in the fight, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). Considering many felt Rudolph should’ve been suspended for initially tugging at Garrett’s helmet and then charging him, he dodged a bullet. Given he threw four interceptions in the game last night, a fine is the least of his worries right now.
Not to mention where the Red Nosed Reindeer kicked him or what he said. If Myles wanted to hurt him he would have.
Well he certainly tried by hitting him with something that could have killed him.
Bullshit. Nothing excuses what Garrett did.
Still hand to suspend the red necked QB who started it. Just because he plays for the Squealers doesn’t mean he’s immune from punishment.
You sound like an impartial judge with no team allegiance clouding your judgment.
He didn’t start it. Garrett started it be taking him down way late.
False. That’s a football play. Unwritten rules that players think they can enforce are not a cause for a fight. You don’t want to get taken down, try blocking, or better yet, not playing football. These guys are a bunch of whining millionaire who think thier brand is not important than their team. The sheer ego of thinking you can confront someone for tackling you in a football game is astounding. A bunch of children. Mason is a clown, too bad he doesn’t have a future in this league. And I’m a 49ers fan, I could care less about either of These lower tier teams.
True, and if those lineman want to defend their QB they can protect him better. Garrett was wrong, no doubt, but the QB was trying to rip his helmet off and kicking to the jewels. The lineman that was trying to pull Garrett off him only made it worse, as long as he was latched on Garrett wasn’t letting go. Pouncey is garbage and the kicks and punches were garbage.
Yeah, okay Steven… what a loser
“If Myles wanted to hurt him he would have.”
So I guess he wasn’t trying to hurt him when he swung a heavy, hard object with his full force downward towards Rudolph’s bare head? OK, homer.
Y’all acting like he hit him with a brick
Basically
Have you ever picked up an NFL helmet? You can do some serious damage if you’re as strong as Garrett is and you’re swinging it as hard as he did.
He swung it opening down not with the crown down. Calm down. Dude got hit by padding lmao.
If he connects with the rim of the helmet he splits his dome for sure.
A brick is 5 pounds, nfl helmet 6 pounds
What about the targeting call that was called on one of the Browns’ safeties? I would imagine he will also get suspended. What an ordeal.
Dude, this isn’t college football. There is no such thing as targeting in the NFL.
Go ask the saints if there’s a such thing as targeting
100% is a targeting rule and a safety was ejected for exactly that.
What Rudolph did warranted a 15 yard penalty, but people think he should be suspended because Garrett tried to kill him?
If you step on someone’s toe and they beat you with a tire iron, should you both be charged with assault?
That’s some logic.
I’m not so sure Rudolph is as innocent as you’re making him out to be
He’s certainly not innocent, but he didn’t do anything more than a 15 yard penalty and a fine. Rudolph’s actions are typical losing-your-cool scrumming in the NFL. Unsportsmanlike penalty, a fine, a talking-to from the NFL. It should not be elevated to a suspension just because Garrett tried to paralyze him.
He kicked garret in the balls, tried to rip off his helmet then ran after him instigating the fight. You don’t get off Scott free when in real life you get in someone’s face and constantly yell at him to hit you either.
I have seen people saying he kicked him, but I have yet to see it.
Um your idea is nothing short of moronic. Rudolph kicked him in the groin pulled at his helmet and God knows what he said before Garrett lost it. It’s not an excuse and severe punishment was deserved but the league is leaving Rudolph open to additional punishment for a reason.
Called him a beyotch….
“…not reflective of the core values we strive for as an organization…”
But we will certainly look the other way if the guy is an elite talent that might help us win.
“Myles Garrett has been a good teammate”
He plays good on Sundays and can help us win.
“…a good member of the community…”
He gives out charitable donations which are actually stipulated in his NFL contract. *a fact a lot of people don’t know. Yes, as a part of an NFL player’s contract they are obligated to give a certain portion to charity.*
If it is stipulated (which I doubt highly) it would violate multiple aspects of U.S. constitution and amendments thereto. Thats an easy win in court…all we have to do in US is abide by laws, pay taxes and die.
Part of the CBA. You have to remember that the NFL isn’t regulated under the same stipulations as a regular business.
I googled it and found many answers that said NFL players are not required by contract to donate money to charities; however, none of the answers cited a link to an official source. Can you provide a link that supports your statement?
Okay, I found the 2011 CBA in PDF format. Downloaded it. I obviously didn’t read all 300+ pages, but I did search the entire document for the word “charity.” It appears only once in the entire document, on Page 89: “Player Fines. If a player fine is a deduction from a player’s salary which is never paid (and thus not included in a W-2), it is not included in Salary or AR. If a fine is paid by the player, either as a deduction from gross salary or in a separate payment, it is counted as Salary. If the Club gives a fine to charity, it is not included in AR.”
link to nfllabor.files.wordpress.com
It 100% is stipulated but in the form of community service not money.
I will defer to your advanced legal knowledge, but I always thought that the courts allowed almost anything in a union contract, so long as both sides agree to it.
Yeah Ed pretty sure you have no idea what you’re talking about with NFL contracts.Also no need to read further into what the Haslam said too.
I know a lot about NFL contracts.
Well please provide some evidence that NFL players must donate money to charities then because i have yet to see any
I don’t understand how Pouncey wasn’t suspended for the rest of year. I find punching and kicking someone in the head who’s pinned to the ground as bad as what Myles did. Not a fan of either team, just a disgusted fan of football.
Agreed
Steelers got off easy
Tell that to the guy who was smashed in the head with a helmet
The same guy trying to rip Garrett’s helmet off and kicking him in the jewels?
The same guy who could’ve gotten seriously injured?
If Garrett didn’t have his helmet on, he probably would have been suspended for just as long as Garrett and he would have earned it. Still, as a fan, I would have liked to see more like a 4-5 game suspension. You can’t stomp on another player.
To me it’s the optics of it, since thankfully there were no injuries sustained. The optics of using a helmet to hit someone in the head isn’t too far off from kicking a pinned opponent in head helmeted or not. In a league where concussions and CTE are of the utmost concern I’m just surprised they didn’t punish the kick more severely.
I’m in agreement. Everyone involved is pretty fortunate that no one got seriously injured.
Pouncy should be given a medal.
He’s garbage.
Dude, this isn’t college football. There is no such thing as targeting in the NFL.
There is though. New rule they implemented last season.
What a mess in Cleveland. Even when they win it’s about anything but.
It’s probably an even bigger mess for Goodell who is trying to convince British fans that they really need American style football.
Garrett’s attempted sack/hit was a bit over the line and would have been a personal foul if everything else didn’t happen. Rudolph’s reaction was just as unnecessary. Garrett’s suspension will be well deserved but Rudolph got away easy. Even now, calling Garrett’s actions “cowardly” is completely unnecessary. Rudolph deserves a suspension of at least a game for being stupid too. Pouncey should have received 6 games for kicking a man while he’s down.
Big deal, dude’s lucky if he’s lucid enough to complain about it.
Both teams are garbage, suspend all of them and nothing matters.
If anyone deserves a beating it would be the guy in Pittsburgh who designed those hideous bumble bee uniforms.
Pretty sure that guy is dead since those are 1933 throwback unis.
Wasn’t aware of that but it seems like a strange choice. The Pittsburgh team was called the Pirates back then and had a 3-6-2 record while playing rivals such as the Cincinnati Reds and Brooklyn Dodgers.