PITTSBURGH — Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett may be suspended indefinitely, but his legacy among fans of the team seems to be cemented. Garrett was on the minds and in the hearts of Browns fans who ventured to Pittsburgh for today’s game against the Steelers at Heinz Field.
Just 17 days after Garrett was lost for at least the balance of the 2019 season for his role in a brawl with Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the final seconds of a 21-7 Cleveland win at FirstEnergy Stadium, fans at tailgates around downtown Pittsburgh were rocking gear in support of their Pro Bowl defensive end.
There were fans who wore the regular brown and brown “Color Rush” jerseys bearing the No. 95 during the tailgates, and another who sported a custom “Cleveland Rocks” t-shirt with a picture of Garrett hitting Rudolph in the head with his helmet.
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In addition to “Cleveland Rocks,” this particular shirt had subtext: “Rudolph started it.”
All jokes and t-shirts aside, the Browns themselves have shown their support for Garrett in the days since his indefinite suspension was announced, and later, upheld after an appeal hearing in New York City a week after the brawl.
Before the Browns took the field for their game against the Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland last Sunday, owner Dee Haslam was on the sideline talking with various team officials and family members…and she was sporting a “No. 95” in orange print on her winter hat while doing so.
Garrett was suspended indefinitely just 12 hours after the win over the Steelers for an on-field brawl that resulted in his ejection, as well as the disqualifications of Ogunjobi and Steelers offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey.
The incident boiled over when Garrett brought Rudolph to the ground well after a third-down play with eight seconds remaining in the game.
Following the tackle, which was not penalized, Rudolph appeared to rip off Garrett’s helmet after delivering a couple of kicks below the belt of the Pro Bowl defensive end. Garrett responded by ripping off Rudolph’s helmet with several powerful tugs, and later, swinging it at and connecting to the quarterback’s head when the signal-caller pursued the matter further.
After Garrett ended up on the ground after getting tangled up with Steelers offensive lineman David DeCastro, Pouncey tried to protect his quarterback and delivered several kicks to the helmet and multiple punches to the Browns’ Pro Bowl defensive end.
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