Myles Garrett met with the NFL to appeal his indefinite suspension this week, and the Cleveland Browns defensive end reportedly told league officials that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph called him a racial slur during the infamous fight that broke out last Thursday night.
Garrett made the allegation as part of his initial remarks during his appeal hearing in New York Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Josina Anderson. The Steelers issued a statement on Thursday saying Rudolph “vehemently denies” using a racial slur, and Rudolph’s attorney Tim Younger followed up with a separate statement on behalf of the quarterback. Younger called the claim an “assault on Mason’s integrity” and said it is far worse than Garrett clubbing Rudolph over the head with a helmet.
— Younger & Associates/QB Limited (@YoungerAssoc) November 21, 2019
Garrett did not give any indication immediately after the fight that Rudolph had said something racist, and Rudolph reiterated on Wednesday that he did not say anything to provoke the defensive end. Baker Mayfield and the Browns were also highly critical of Garrett for his actions, which likely means he did not inform them of Rudolph using any racist language.
The NFL will likely speak with other players who were involved in the fight to see if Garrett’s story can be corroborated. People would obviously view the situation a lot differently if it is determined that Rudolph used a racial slur, but it’s unclear why Garrett is just now claiming that happened.
