Browns-Steelers brawl – Fines, bans, what’s next and one wild rematch

Schefter first reported some in the Browns organization were aware Garrett was going to assert sensitive information as part of his appeal, though neither Cleveland coach Freddie Kitchens nor general manager John Dorsey have said on the record whether Garrett told them about the racial slur allegation beforehand. “What Myles and I talk about stays between Myles and I,” Kitchens has said. The Browns did send a security official with Garrett to New York for his appeal. Several of Garrett’s teammates, however, said they weren’t aware of Garrett’s allegation or that he was going to use it during his appeal until ESPN broke the story.

How have the Steelers reacted to allegation Rudolph used a racial slur toward Garrett?

The Steelers fiercely defended Rudolph immediately after the fight and took an even stronger tone after Garrett’s allegation. Steelers offensive linemen David DeCastro and Matt Feiler, who were both near the fight, said they didn’t hear Rudolph say anything derogatory to Garrett. “People can see him however they want to, but like I’ve been saying, he’s not that kind of guy,” Feiler said. “He wouldn’t say anything like that. He’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

Defensive end Cam Heyward called Garrett’s decision to accuse Rudolph of using a slur “childish” on a local radio station. The Steelers in the locker room were also skeptical of the timing of the allegation. “If that would’ve been said, you would’ve known about it Thursday night after the game, not a week later when he’s trying to appeal,” said Devlin Hodges, who was named starting quarterback over Rudolph for Sunday. “That guy’s got everything on the line for him, and he’s trying to get everything back.”

How does the NFL or anyone else find out the truth? Weren’t there microphones on the field?

Yes, Pouncey was miked up. But no recorded sound from the field exists. As the center, Pouncey wore a microphone to capture ambient sound on the field before the snap. The microphones are opened from the break of the huddle, or when the center puts his hands on the ball in a no-huddle offense, through the snap, according to the NFL. Likely, no one will ever truly know what was or wasn’t said between Garrett and Rudolph. The NFL can interview Rudolph, Garrett, DeCastro, Feiler and Pouncey — all players who could have heard something — but that’s the extent of the investigative material the league can gather.

Have the Steelers and Browns had other fights or incidents during their 69-year rivalry?

Yes. In 1976, Cleveland’s Joe “Turkey” Jones body-slammed Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw onto his head and was fined $3,000 for the hit. Bradshaw, who had to be taken off on a stretcher, claimed to have no feeling in his body for two days. In 2005, Browns fan Nathan Mallett ran onto the field during a 41-0 Pittsburgh victory before he was body-slammed and pinned by Steelers linebacker James Harrison. Mallett pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct while intoxicated and criminal trespassing and had to spend Super Bowl weekend in jail. “I hate losing to the Steelers,” Mallett said, when later asked about the decision. Harrison also ties Rudolph for the rivalry’s biggest fine. In 2010, Harrison was initially fined $75,000 for a hit on a defenseless Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi. The fine was later reduced to $50,000.

What does the loss of Garrett mean for the Browns’ playoff chances?

First of all, those playoff chances are looking less and less slim. On the heels of three consecutive victories, ESPN’s Football Power Index now gives the Browns a 25.2% chance of making the playoffs, a number that would go up with a victory over Pittsburgh, also wild-card hopeful. Cleveland also has the NFL’s fourth-easiest remaining schedule, including two games over the winless Bengals. Obviously, a pass-rusher such as Garrett is impossible to replace, but the Browns might still be favorites in four of their five remaining games. Win those four, and they may sneak into the playoffs as the final wild card. Of course, a road playoff game is where Cleveland would really miss a game-changer of Garrett’s caliber.

How does Garrett’s suspension impact his 2020 season and potential contract extension?

Two, getting a Garrett extension done under the current CBA, which expires after the 2020 season, likely would save the franchise money. Cleveland might also find Garrett even more amenable to an extension now that he’s been disciplined for on-field behavior. As an aside, theoretically the Browns could wait to see if Garrett will be suspended for a chunk of the 2020 season, and in that scenario, they could toll his contract back a year. At this point, that seems highly unlikely.

What’s Rudolph’s future with the Steelers?

Chris Berman and Tom Jackson recap the weekend’s games with extended highlights and analysis.

Hodges, who Tomlin said gives the offense a spark, is that guy right now. Rudolph has struggled in place of Ben Roethlisberger, who went down in Week 2 because of a season-ending elbow injury. Since sustaining a concussion in Week 5, Rudolph has struggled to make good decisions in the pocket, often holding on to the ball too long or throwing ill-advised passes. He’s thrown 12 interceptions to nine touchdowns and has a QBR of 33.0, 33rd among NFL quarterbacks this season. His mediocre numbers aren’t entirely his fault, though.

With injuries to receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner and the slow emergence of a No. 2 receiver, Rudolph has been hampered by a lack of bonafide players on the roster this season. He still has two years left on his rookie deal, and he figures to return as Roethlisberger’s backup for at least one more season.