Getty Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens (left) and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
The clash between Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was an ugly no matter which way you slice it.
But what has become a point of debate for fans on both sides is who actually started the scuffle, which was turned up to 100 when Garrett swung a helmet at Rudolph.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin refused to talk about the incident after the game, but came to the defense of his team on Tuesday and weighed in on that issue when asked about the notion of Rudolph igniting the fight.
“I don’t know. You’ve got to ask those guys,” Tomlin said. “You, know, I don’t know that we did anything to make it happen anyway in the first place. That’s why I said we didn’t have anything to learn from it.”
Tomlin did accept responsibility for his team being involved in what will be an infamous moment in NFL history.
“It was ugly. It was ugly for the game of football,” Tomlin said “All of us want to safeguard and protect the game, it’s integrity, and in that instance it was compromised, obviously with the unfortunate incident. None of want those things to transpire. It did. We were a part of it. We accept responsibility for our actions within it.”
Fallout From Fight: Myles Garrett Suspended Indefinitely
Garrett was suspended “indefinitely” for his role in the fight, which will reportedly be at least for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. It makes it the second longest suspension for an on-field incident, behind only Vontaze Burfict’s 12-game ban that was issued this season for a helmet-to-helmet hit.
Both organizations were fined $250,000 for the incident while Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and Steelers offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey were suspended.
Pouncey got a three-game ban and Ogunjobi will miss one. Rudolph has not been issued a fine or suspension.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke on the fight this week and the swift punishments that were handed out.
“It was, in my view, and I think [that of] our football people, something that had to be dealt with very quickly and very firmly to make it clear to the players that it’s not acceptable, and to the clubs,” Goodell said. “There’s no place for that in the game.”
As far as reducing the suspension, Goodell didn’t leave a ton of wiggle room.
“He will probably meet with us sometime in the offseason, and I think we’ll make a judgment on does he have remorse?”
Odell Beckham Calls out Mike Tomlin
👀 @obj doesn’t forget
Lost in the rivalry matchup — which the Browns won 21-7 — was some antics from Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
After OBJ’s 42-yard catch in the first quarter and then Landry’s touchdown grab, both receivers patted the mouths, simulating a yawn. It was in reference to Tomlin’s comments to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler in the offseason when asked about Cleveland’s receiving talent and the addition of Beckham.
“You know, I see great players, or we see great players, week in and week out,” Tomlin said after the pointed yawn. “We’ve seen him before. We respect his talent and the talents of everyone they’ve acquired. But it doesn’t change our agenda or our focus.”
Lost tape from our Tomlin interview in Va. in July: Tomlin gives the yawn hand sign when I ask him about facing Odell Beckham twice a year. The message? We face great players often.
The pair reportedly spoke about the comments during the game.
“I said ‘you disrespected me,’” Beckham told cleveland.com. “I said ‘you know who I am.’ And he said ‘I know who you are. That’s why we’re doubling you all game’ and this and that.
“We were just talking,’’ Beckham said. “There’s never been no beef with me and no coach. We were just talking [expletive].”
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