N.F.L. appeals officers on Thursday upheld the indefinite suspension for Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett for hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with a helmet during a game last week.
The appeals officers also reduced a related suspension to two games from three for Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, who kicked and punched Garrett. Pouncey’s $35,096 fine was upheld.
Both players had appealed their penalties, which were levied after a brawl between the two teams during a Nov. 14 game. Garrett, 23, the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, was suspended after he and Rudolph grappled at the end of the matchup. Garrett ripped off Rudolph’s helmet and swung it wildly, hitting Rudolph in the head.
During his appeal hearing on Wednesday at N.F.L. headquarters, Garrett, who is black, accused Rudolph, who is white, of calling him a racial slur during their altercation. ESPN was first to report Garrett’s allegations.
Brian McCarthy, an N.F.L. spokesman, said the league had looked into the allegation and found no evidence to support it. The league reviewed the game officials’ report; no audio recordings from the field were available. The N.F.L. said it had seen no news media reports citing players from the Browns or Steelers who raised the issue.
Garrett posted a statement via Twitter on Thursday evening that said his defense at the hearing “was not intended for public dissemination, nor was it a convenient attempt to justify my actions or restore my image in the eyes of those I disappointed.”
“I know what I heard,” the statement added. “Whether my opponent’s comment was born out of frustration or ignorance, I cannot say. But his actions do not excuse my lack of restraint in the moment.”
Garrett will remain suspended at least through this regular season and the following playoffs. He must meet with officials in the commissioner’s office before he can be reinstated.
On Thursday, Rudolph pushed back at Garrett’s allegation through representatives.
“Mason vehemently denies the report of being accused of using a racial slur during the incident Thursday night in Cleveland,” Burt Lauten, a Steelers spokesman, said in a statement. “He will not discuss this accusation any further, and his focus remains on preparation for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.”
Rudolph’s agent, Timothy M. Younger, went farther in a post to his law firm’s Twitter account, calling Garrett’s accusation “a lie” and “reckless and shameful.”
“This false allegation was never asserted by Garrett in the aftermath of the game, never suggested prior to the hearing, and conspicuously absent in the apology published by the Browns and adopted by Garrett,” Younger wrote.
On Wednesday, Rudolph delivered to the media prepared remarks about the altercation. “I should’ve done a better job keeping my composure in that situation, “ he said.
Browns General Manager John Dorsey issued a statement of support for Garrett via Twitter. “He is a man of high character and unquestionable integrity,” the statement said. “He was open and honest with us about the incident from the start.”
The N.F.L. Players Association has not returned a call for comment.
Rudolph has not been fined or suspended for his role in the fight, though additional penalties for the involved parties could still be announced. Rudolph’s agent did not rule out taking legal action against Garrett.
The Browns will face the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Dec. 1.
Source: Football - nytimes.com
