Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
As reported by ESPN, Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett claimed that Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph directed a racial slur at him during last Thursday’s Steelers-Browns game at FirstEnergy Stadium. Garrett leveled the accusation against Rudolph during an appeal hearing with the NFL on Wednesday. The alleged slur occurred right before the two players brawled and Garrett dangerously struck Rudolph in the skull with Rudolph’s helmet. NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy later told Cleveland.com that the NFL “found no such evidence” of Rudolph directing a slur at Garrett.
Last Friday, the NFL suspended Garrett for at least the remainder of the 2019 regular season (six games) plus any playoff games in which the 4-6 Browns appear, and the league reserves the right to extend Garrett’s suspension into the 2020 season.