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Suspended Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and other officials on Monday, taking the first step towards a return from his indefinite ban.
There’s reportedly no timetable for a return, but Goodell could “lift the ban at any time,” according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, who initially reported the meeting with the NFL.
Garrett was hit with the ban after he struck Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph over the head with his own helmet, inciting chaos during the team’s Week 11 matchup. Garrett had 10 sacks before being relegated to the sideline.
There had not been a ton of movement on Garrett’s suspension since the season ended, but Goodell said at the Super Bowl that he planned to meet with the Browns Garrett within the next 60 days to make a decision on reinstatement, according to cleveland.com.
Reports indicate that Garrett won’t miss time in 2020, especially considering he’s been a model citizen since the incident.
“The NFL will be open-minded and listen to Garrett during the offseason meeting, and if his behavior is what the league hopes it will be and his answers are accurate, there’s a strong chance he will not miss any playing time in 2020, according to sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Myles Garrett’s Actions Had Major Implications
GettySteelers quarterback Mason Rudolph fights with Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Garrett was walking around with a lighter wallet after smacking Rudolph with the helmet. He was fined $45,623 in addition to the whopping $1.14 million in lost game checks. Garrett’s six-game was behind only Vontaze Burfict — a notorious repeat offender — for an on-field incident.
On top of that, Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended a game for his role and Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey for two after his appeal knocked off a game from his ban. In addition, both teams were fined $250,000 each, sending a clear message on the events that transpired.
“Anything that is outside the game is problematic to us. And there’s no place for that in the game. It’s completely outside of football. It’s not an incorrect tackling technique or anything else. It’s just completely outside the game of football,” Goodell said in a podcast interview with Gary Myers of OTG. “And so in one way, that elevates it and it’s different circumstances.
“It’s just not Myles Garrett here. Obviously he was the starting [point] but we suspended three different players in that,” Goodell added. “It’s probably, I would say, the most significant discipline we’ve had from any single incident in our history, although we don’t keep that stat, but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t.”
Myles Garrett Expresses Remorse Over Brawl
GettyBrowns defensive end Myles Garrett
What made the event shocking to those close to Garrett is that he’s not known for having that kind of personality. Garrett is known for writing poetry, studying dinosaurs and has previously described himself as a pacifist.
Garrett — who is entering his fourth year in the league — expressed remorse shortly after the incident through a statement.
“Last night, I made a terrible mistake,” Garrett said. “I lost my cool and what I did was selfish and unacceptable. I know that we are all responsible for our actions and I can only prove my true character through my actions moving forward. I want to apologize to Mason Rudolph, my teammates, our entire organization, our fans and to the NFL. I know I have to be accountable for what happened, learn from my mistake and I fully intend to do so.”
There’s a new regime in town with head coach Kevin Stefanski and newly hired Browns general manager Andrew Berry, who said he hopes Myles is on the field sooner than later.
“Certainly, our hope is for Myles to be reinstated,” Berry told reporters. “Obviously, I was part of drafting him here previously. Obviously, this fall he made a huge mistake, but we know who Myles is a person, and we look forward to welcoming him back.”
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Browns DE Myles Garrett Takes First Step Towards Reinstatement