The Steelers/Browns brawl will end up costing Mason Rudolph a pretty penny. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the quarterback has been fined $50K for his role in the fight. Rapoport adds that additional players will be or have been fined.
We previously heard that Rudolph had escaped a suspension but was slapped with a fine. It was clear from camera angles that the 24-year-old played a role in escalating the confrontation with Myles Garrett, as he tugged at the defensive end’s helmet after being driven to the ground. After having his own helmet removed, the quarterback charged Garrett, with some pundits suggesting that Rudolph himself should have earned a suspension.
Further, Garrett has alleged that Rudolph used a racial slur towards him during the buildup to the brawl. The quarterback has denied the accusation, and the NFL said it found no evidence of the slur. Garrett has since doubled down on the claim.
As Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com points out, the $50K fine is one of the largest penalties of the 2019 campaign. The writer also opines that Rudolph could have a case during a potential appeal; players with no previous offenses generally get their fines reduced if the fine exceeds 25-percent of the player’s weekly salary. As David Smith points out, Rudolph is making a bit under $39K each week.
We learned earlier this week that Garrett’s suspension would stand as is, as the NFL upheld the indefinite ban. Interestingly, Howard Balzer points out (via Twitter) that the league’s official transaction report doesn’t list Garrett’s suspension as indefinite. Rather, it says the suspension is for the remainder of the regular season and postseason.
Steelers offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey successfully appealed his penalty, dropping his suspension from three games to two games. The NFL had previously upheld Larry Ogunjobi‘s one-game suspension.
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That works out to $10K per dot.
Then it should have been ……….
What a punk Garrett is going to the race card. That would of been first thing out of his mouth that night if it was true not days later . What did Rudolph whisper it in his ear because no one else on the field heard it from either team , not even the refs . And they were never alone . Rudolph has never been accused of anything remotely close in his entire life. If it was true there would be a huge fallout rt now especially on liberal ESPN and CNN. A 75% blk league would have him packing. Garrett should never be re instated until he apologizes and comes clean about his racial slur lie !
Stop keeping your head in the clouds. Obviously this happened Rudolph is fine $50,000 and the NFL flat out refused to handover the audio files from Mason Rudolph’s Mike in his helmet. This is once again the NFL protecting a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. You are the one that sounds like the punk.
Flat out refused, huhn? Thanks, Mr Rapaport. Your sources inside the NFL are impeccable.
The helmet has speakers for him to hear the coach, there is no microphone in it. Unless he was specifically mic’ed up, which has nothing to do with the helmet.
Ahhh the misfit is back with his dumb comments!!
Agree. Besides, even IF Rudolph said it, Garrett is still guilty. Nothing, absolutely nothing is ever an excuse for violence. Anger and violence is always a choice. And Mr Garrett chose incorrectly.
What about directed violence at the perpetrator of said violence? Fk that nonsensical “absolute” pacifistic noise, Chief. Payback can & should leave a mark. Dig?
100 percent. Rudolph is a punk
Should have been suspended a game as well.
The NFL got a bunch of this right, but totally dropped the ball on Rudolph. He should have been suspended at the very least, one game, but probably two!
I did not see any part of this game but the one thing I find very interesting is that among the hundreds of comments posted I have seen no references at all to the game officials. From my experience, it is very rare indeed for something like this to happen “out of the blue”. Usually it’s the result of officials allowing bad conduct early in games to escalate and get out of control. I’m all in favor of the game officials letting players play but if they bare some blame for what happened then they showed also be penalized in some fashion just as the players who received fines and/or suspensions.
the league should hire former linemen as their refs to intimidate the players and allow for mediation when needed.
I’ve never actually believed that you can earn someone’s respect by trying to intimidate them but if the league is going to hold players to certain levels of accountability then they have to apply that same policy to officials.
Please, large and intimidating men always get respected. Respect is a verb. It is true that all respect is not equal. Admiration and intimidation are both paths to respect.
The $50k fine is about a games paycheck for Rudolph. The NFL actually punished the Steelers by not suspending Rudolph for a game vs giving him the fine.
i think this is fair. no reason he should miss a game given that he had no reason to know how out of hand things could have got, but he could have acted a bit more respectable about the initial hit, that’s for sure.
Based on his actions alone, he should have copped a suspension. He isn’t responsible for what others choose to do, but he is responsible for himself.
Why should he be suspended? If Garrett didn’t lose his mind it wouldn’t have been more than any other on field tussle.
No check for Rudolph this week and a partial check next week. How’s the man going to buy groceries!!?? Does the NFL accept payment plans? LOL!
The NFL does not offer an installment plan but they do have some gun toting players that could show Rudolph how to bag himself a Thanksgiving turkey.
Pretty disgusting that Garrett used the race card a week after it happened. They should double his suspension unless he comes clean and apologizes. When was the last time you heard a white or Hispanic player use the race card???
Agreed , well said .
Prior to the helmet getting swung… What was suspendable? After the helmet got swung is when $h*t hit the fan. So the NFL got the Garrett suspension correct. But he should b reinstated for next season. With all the crap they allow off the field and the players to be able to come back. Just because this was on TV doesn’t mean he should get more then what Kareem Hunt got. Mason Rudolph is a grown man not a woman.
Having said my peace of Garrett. Now on to Rudolph. Btw I’m a Steelers fan. Rudolph is absolutely guilty of instigating this whole nonsense. He should of gotten a game as well.
Pouncey should of got a 1 game that’s all. And Ogunjobi got the right 1 game suspension.
Now the racial slur part. Do u think if Pouncey thought Rudolph was the least bit racist he would of jumped in to help him? And y didn’t he say anything directly after the game. I’ve been involved in a racial fight during a b-ball game. A guy from another team called my teammate that word and it was a brawl. And the first thing he said in the locker room was he got called that word and was not at all quiet about it. So, I’m sorry but I don’t believe that with cameras in his face and microphones from reporters it was discussed right away then there and since. Not a week later. My cousin is mixed and I grew up in a predominately black town. I know for a fact that when that word is said it gets talked about directly after the fight. No waiting on “appeals” or whatever.
Tried to rip Garretts helmet off first, kicked Garrett in the nuts when he got off him, then Garrett ripped his helmet off and Rudolph went at Garret and Garrett hit him with his own helmet. So that’s no suspension for Rudolph and only a $50,000 fine. Sure that seems fair it’s not like Rudolph kept escalating the fight or anything. Before you say late hit Rudolph had ahold of Garrett just as much as Garrett had ahold of him. Also I’m not a fan of either team or player and no I don’t condone what Garrett did but I’m saying Rudolph was as much to blame for the fight and Rudolph was responsible for escalating it.
Ya you’re so right slider1727, it was so clear to anyone who watched it objectively. NOT. Rudolph was holding onto Garrett for dear life as Garrett had him in a bear hug and picked him up and slammed him to the ground. But hey if you prefer to view it Rudolph tugging on Garrett then ya I guess you’re they were both going at it. You would make a good referee for the WWE wrestling.
Finally, a comment from someone who actually watched the game. The hit itself should have been a penalty. It would be called a penalty 95+% of the time in today’s NFL, and it is what started this entire course of events. The NFL should first fine Garrett for that hit, then move on to the suspension for his next ludicrous and violent acts. If they can prove he made up the racial slur, which I believe almost all thinking people believe he did, he should suspended for an entire season after this suspension.