CLEVELAND — How many games is Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett going to miss after being indefinitely suspended by the National Football League for his role in a brawl with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph last week?
Well, it will be until the offseason until that question is answered fully by the league, but ESPN reported prior to Sunday’s game between the Browns and Miami Dolphins at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland that NFL officials are hopeful Garrett will not miss games in 2020.
Garrett must meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during the offseason as part of the application process for reinstatement.
“The NFL will be open-minded and listen to Garrett during the offseason, 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,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported from his sources.
The appeal process was not good to the Browns this week.
A day after defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi learned that he lost his appeal and will serve a one-game ban during this week’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins, the Browns were informed that Garrett had his indefinite suspension upheld, and after sitting out the balance of the 2019 season will have to apply for reinstatement next season.
Garrett was suspended indefinitely just 12 hours after last Thursday’s 21-7 win over the Pittsburgh 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.