(GSM) — Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has been suspended without salary for the remainder of the 2019 NFL season following an altercation with Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.
The incident took place in Cleveland during the Thursday night matchup with 8-seconds left to play in the game where Garrett forcibly removed Rudolph’s helmet and hit him over the head with it. Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey proceeded to throw punches, striking Garrett several times prior to kicking him while on the ground.
Myles Garrett should be suspended for the rest of the yearpic.twitter.com/Gu61ibffya
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) November 15, 2019
The National Football League hit both the Steelers and Browns with stiff financial penalties and said in a statement, “The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns organizations have each been fined $250,000 and three players – Cleveland’s MYLES GARRETT and LARRY OGUNJOBI, and Pittsburgh’s MAURKICE POUNCEY – have been suspended without pay for their actions in Thursday night’s game,” The statement read. “Garrett has been suspended without pay indefinitely – at a minimum for the remainder of the regular season and postseason – and must meet with the commissioner’s office prior to a decision on his reinstatement. He was also fined an additional amount. Garrett violated unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct rules, as well as fighting, removing the helmet of an opponent and using the helmet as a weapon.”
Art Rooney II, president of the Pittsburgh Steelers released a statement on the incident:
“As an organization, we are disappointed with what occurred last night near the end of our game against the Cleveland Browns. The actions of the players involved were not something that should be part of any football game. Our players, coaches and everyone in the Steelers organization understand that we must always maintain composure, no matter what happens. After a hard-fought game between two rivals, it is a shame that the game ended that way.”
The Cleveland Browns also commented publicly about what transpired Thursday night via owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam:
“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.”
BRIAN COOK IS AN EMMY-NOMINATED INTERNATIONAL JOURNALIST WHO HAS BEEN COVERING THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE SINCE 2005. HE CAN BE REACHED AT BCOOK@GOLDENSKYMEDIA.COM.
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