Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images The Browns' Myles Garrett ripped Steelers QB Mason Rudolph's helmet off him and then struck him in the head with it.
The last-second brawl that occurred Thursday night in the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers could have season-long ramifications for both teams, especially the Browns and their defensive star, Myles Garrett.
It all happened so fast: with under 10 seconds left and a 21-7 lead, a tussle began between Garrett and Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph that ended with Garrett pulling Rudolph’s helmet off his head and hitting him over the head with it. Miraculously, Rudolph seemed relatively uninjured after getting hit in the head with his own helmet, and he said after the game that he felt Garrett’s play was “cowardly” and “bush league:”
The fight was a bench-clearing affair that ended in multiple ejections for both teams–but the ramifications of Garrett’s actions may be more far-reaching than he thought, and while his punishment from the league has yet to be dealt out, he may have some legal actions from Rudolph’s camp to deal with in the very near future.
Mason Rudolph’s Agent Responds: ‘The Matter Will Be Reviewed Thoroughly’
GettyCleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett hit Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with his own helmet Thursday night. Legal action could be taken against Garrett.
Tim Younger, Mason Rudolph’s agent and a California-based lawyer, weighed in on the incident via Twitter early Friday morning, and his tweet suggested that legal action could be taken against Garrett due to the severity and potential seriousness of the incident:
“There are many risks an NFL QB assumes with every snap taken on the field. Being hit on your uncovered head by a helmet being swung by a 275 lb DE is not one of them. Tonight could have had a catastrophic ending. The matter will be reviewed thoroughly.”
There are many risks an NFL QB assumes with every snap taken on the field. Being hit on your uncovered head by a helmet being swung by a 275 lb DE is not one of them. Tonight could have had a catastrophic ending. The matter will be reviewed thoroughly.
The fight seemed to stem from a late hit on Rudolph by Garrett. Rudolph responded by wresting with Garrett on the ground–and it appeared that Rudolph tried to (unsuccessfully) yank Garrett’s helmet off first. Regardless of what happened prior to the helmet swing, Younger had a point: while there is expected and potential risk taken by every player in every game, getting hit in the head with your own helmet in a violent altercation is not one of those risks. And both Garrett and Rudolph are lucky Rudolph does not appear to be seriously hurt.
Cleveland Police were seen in the locker room after the game, which was seemingly a precaution as no charges have been filed. Several Twitter reactions showed that a good deal of people felt that Garrett should be punished severely, and that his actions were borderline criminal.
As Heavy.com’s Jessica McBride revealed, a spokesperson for the Cleveland Police Department stated there is no investigation into Garrett.
NFL analyst Adam Schefter simply tweeted the word “assault” after the incident:
Assault.
Obviously Myles Garrett should be arrested for assault and battery for this. Absolutely garbage #NFL
Myles Garrett committed the closest thing we’ve seen to an on-field crime in the NFL’s modern era. It was a singularly violent act and should be punished accordingly. Column: t.co/ikNr9W2b7B
Ian Rapoport went on Good Morning Football Friday morning and discussed the incident, noting that Younger and his associates would be examining the incident more fully in great detail. Rapoport also noted that legal action against Garrett is still a definite possibility.
According to a report by ESPN, Younger said the following via text message when asked about the incident later on Friday morning: “I am gathering all information and no options have been removed from the table.”
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