Garrett Attack.

[beavis15205]

I definitely would have given him a game for trying to pull Garrett's helmet off and kicking him, and then continuing to go after him. In a vacuum, that's only a flag and, maybe, if the refs are trying to defuse everything and get off the field, an ejection. (With Garrett, even before he swung the helmet.) And that does not condone what Garrett did at all. Frankly, if it were up to me, I'd probably tack on another four games to start next season for an even 10. It was the equivalent of shooting somebody if they shoved you on the street. Totally and grossly disproportionate.

But even though Rudolph didn't even remotely deserve having his helmet yanked off and then clubbed with it, he isn't entirely blameless. While he might not have started it -- Garrett did by wrestling him down after he'd gotten rid of the ball -- Rudolph escalated it by yanking on Garrett's helmet and shoving his foot in or near his groin, and continuing to try to get in his face, and then Garrett went completely over the top.

dude if you were Rudolph and you got pinned to the ground and hit late I think he has the right to defend himself.

As far as pressing charges it won't happen but it's hardly unprecedented google Marty McSorley.

He's got zero cause to do this. Zero. That doesn't absolve or excuse what Garrett did in the slightest. But he absolutely played a role in escalating the situation. Frankly, it wasn't even that bad of a hit. He's at the end of a crappy game in which he played terribly and he lost his composure. Then Garrett told him to hold his beer and went batsh*t.

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Do you think Garrett would have the balls to do that to Brady at the end of a game? He's a real tough guy going after a mediocre "rookie" QB.

[Jay 20]

Pretty crazy Rudolph didnt get any games considering he instigated the whole thing. Should have received atleast one game.

How exactly did Rudolph "instigate" this? Was it by allowing Garrett to hit him late and get pinned down? Let's do this we reenact this and I'll be Garrett and you be Rudolph and see if you feel Rudolph deserved a game? I promise I'll only hit you lightly with the helmet.

I definitely would have given him a game for trying to pull Garrett's helmet off and kicking him, and then continuing to go after him. In a vacuum, that's only a flag and, maybe, if the refs are trying to defuse everything and get off the field, an ejection. (With Garrett, even before he swung the helmet.) And that does not condone what Garrett did at all. Frankly, if it were up to me, I'd probably tack on another four games to start next season for an even 10. It was the equivalent of shooting somebody if they shoved you on the street. Totally and grossly disproportionate.

But even though Rudolph didn't even remotely deserve having his helmet yanked off and then clubbed with it, he isn't entirely blameless. While he might not have started it -- Garrett did by wrestling him down after he'd gotten rid of the ball -- Rudolph escalated it by yanking on Garrett's helmet and shoving his foot in or near his groin, and continuing to try to get in his face, and then Garrett went completely over the top.

If the whole thing stopped right there after Garrett was on top of Rudolph and they all get up and walk to their huddles nobody would think what happened would warrant any kind of suspension. Scuffs like that happen all the time in the NFL. It escalated to an entirely new level once Garrett used a helmet as a weapon.

And the whole shoving his foot in Garrett's groin was taking place as Garrett was dragging him off the ground by his facemask.

I do agree Rudolph contributed to the problem, but like I said if Garrett gets pulled off Rudolph and it ends right there, no suspensions are handed out. It is easy to try to say Rudolph deserves something now, but he wouldn't have got a thing if it ended when it should have. Worse case scenario he gets tossed for those 8 seconds, but he wouldn't have been suspended for any games.

[Sedale Threatt]

Do you think Garrett would have the balls to do that to Brady at the end of a game? He's a real tough guy going after a mediocre "rookie" QB.

Do what? Up until the point he completely lost his sh*t, Garrett didn't even get flagged for that play. I hesitate to call it a hit because it wasn't even that. Garrett grabbed him pretty much exactly as the ball was released, and wrestled him to the ground. There's nothing illegal about that. I'm not even sure Garrett knew the ball was gone at that point.

[Sedale Threatt]

If the whole thing stopped right there after Garrett was on top of Rudolph and they all get up and walk to their huddles nobody would think what happened would warrant any kind of suspension. Scuffs like that happen all the time in the NFL. It escalated to an entirely new level once Garrett used a helmet as a weapon.

And the whole shoving his foot in Garrett's groin was taking place as Garrett was dragging him off the ground by his facemask.

I do agree Rudolph contributed to the problem, but like I said if Garrett gets pulled off Rudolph and it ends right there, no suspensions are handed out. It is easy to try to say Rudolph deserves something now, but he wouldn't have got a thing if it ended when it should have. Worse case scenario he gets tossed for those 8 seconds, but he wouldn't have been suspended for any games.

You can make the exact same argument against Rudolph. And again, I want to make it crystal clear that I'm not condoning what Garrett did in any way, shape or form. Not only do I think he should be looking at missing another chunk of next season as well, I thought three games for Pouncey was a little over the top; two seems more fair to me given that, even though you obviously can't have brawls under any circumstances, he was reacting to seeing a teammate get clubbed with a helmet.

The bottom line is this: Everything Garrett did up to the point Rudolph tried to rip his helmet off was completely within the rules. It needs to be noted that, in a league where you will get flagged for roughing if you graze the QB's helmet with your pinkie, he wasn't initially flagged. He didn't hit Rudolph late, and given that he'd already started to wrap up when Rudolph got rid of the ball, he probably thinks he's got a sack there, and there isn't a defensive lineman in the league who isn't going to try to finish that play.

Then Rudolph, who'd been beaten up all night and played like garbage in a frustrating loss, completely lost his composure. You will see plenty of NFL QBs handled like that this weekend. What you will almost certainly not see is any of them reacting like he did. And then Garrett went nuts and assaulted him in such egregious fashion that punishing Rudolph beyond a fine would have drawn some level of public outcry. Which I understand, but that doesn't mean I agree with it.

[azcatz11]

A 6'4" 275lb man swinging a 5lb weapon at another person anywhere else would be Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault or Felonious Assault, at the very least, depending on the injuries. There is an expected level of violence but using a helmet as a weapon takes it from sport to real life.

Yes - let's put him in prison for attempted murder. What are you even talking about?

[benson13]

Myles Garrett started the whole thing with that hit on Mason Rudolph after the play was over at the end of a game the Steelers had no chance of winning. I don't blame Rudolph one bit for taking exception to it. What was Mike Tomlin thinking though. The ball should have been kneeled.

The best part of the play was watching Maurkice Pouncey go from a light jog with the intention of breaking up the fight to a full on sprint after the helmet hit and beating the absolute **** out of Garrett.

[MotownMadness]

I mean if you did that to someone on the street it would definitely be considered felonious assault with a dangerous weapon which is a 4 year felony.

Theres really no even arguing thats what the charge would be.

[Sedale Threatt]

Myles Garrett started the whole thing with that hit on Mason Rudolph after the play was over at the end of a game the Steelers had no chance of winning.

But it wasn't over. Contrary to my initial assessment, Garrett hit him pretty much exactly as Rudolph let the ball go. And I use the term "hit" extremely loosely; he basically wrapped him up and wrestled him down. That's not even a flag in the modern era of extreme QB protection. And if they're going to run a pass play, Myles has every right to try and sack the QB, which is all he was doing up to that point. Why either of them were still in the game at that point is an entirely different matter altogether.

[benson13]

But it wasn't over. Contrary to my initial assessment, Garrett hit him pretty much exactly as Rudolph let the ball go. And I use the term "hit" extremely loosely; he basically wrapped him up and wrestled him down. That's not even a flag in the modern era of extreme QB protection. And if they're going to run a pass play, Myles has every right to try and sack the QB, which is all he was doing up to that point. Why either of them were still in the game at that point is an entirely different matter altogether.

You can't sack the quarterback after the ball is gone. Myles Garrett's momentum caused him to hit Mason Rudolph as he was throwing the ball, but the wrestling afterwards would have been a penalty the brawl afterwards hadn't happened. The pass in was thrown in the direction Garrett was rushing from. There's no way he didn't see it.

[Sedale Threatt]

But it wasn't over. Contrary to my initial assessment, Garrett hit him pretty much exactly as Rudolph let the ball go. And I use the term "hit" extremely loosely; he basically wrapped him up and wrestled him down. That's not even a flag in the modern era of extreme QB protection. And if they're going to run a pass play, Myles has every right to try and sack the QB, which is all he was doing up to that point. Why either of them were still in the game at that point is an entirely different matter altogether.

You can't sack the quarterback after the ball is gone. Myles Garrett's momentum caused him to hit Mason Rudolph as he was throwing the ball, but the wrestling afterwards would have been a penalty the brawl afterwards hadn't happened. The pass in was thrown in the direction Garrett was rushing from. There's no way he didn't see it.

He got there right as the ball is being released past his head, to the point I doubt he even saw it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that play. Rudolph reacted like a chump, and then Garrett 10-upped him by going full-on criminal.

[beavis15205]

fact is Garrett wouldn't have had the balls to do this to Brady. He wouldn't have rushed a QB with 15 seconds and hit him and threw his body weight on Brady? Garrett is a loser and that's why he plays for the Browns.

[SD2042]

But it wasn't over. Contrary to my initial assessment, Garrett hit him pretty much exactly as Rudolph let the ball go. And I use the term "hit" extremely loosely; he basically wrapped him up and wrestled him down. That's not even a flag in the modern era of extreme QB protection. And if they're going to run a pass play, Myles has every right to try and sack the QB, which is all he was doing up to that point. Why either of them were still in the game at that point is an entirely different matter altogether.

You can't sack the quarterback after the ball is gone. Myles Garrett's momentum caused him to hit Mason Rudolph as he was throwing the ball, but the wrestling afterwards would have been a penalty the brawl afterwards hadn't happened. The pass in was thrown in the direction Garrett was rushing from. There's no way he didn't see it.

He got there right as the ball is being released past his head, to the point I doubt he even saw it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that play. Rudolph reacted like a chump, and then Garrett 10-upped him by going full-on criminal.

From the angle I seen in real time, there is no way Garrett seen the ball at the same time as he tackled Rudolph. When a DB goes for the QB as quick as Garrett did, they can shift into tunnel vision mode. The DB can get too focused on getting after the QB that they either get to him in time or well after the fact and collect a penalty. In this case, there was no penalty for the initial tackle. Just on the brawl as the result of the tackle.

Mason didn't like being dragged down and took exception by reaching for Garrett's helmet and kicking at his groin. Garrett went off from what Mason did. Which made it worse for Garrett's reaction and his status. To me, Garrett should stay suspended for the remainder of the season as to send a message that actions like that should not be tolerated. Mason should've been suspended a game to go along with his fine for his actions towards Garrett's face mask and kicked at his groin area.

[Blue_and_Whte]

A 6'4" 275lb man swinging a 5lb weapon at another person anywhere else would be Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault or Felonious Assault, at the very least, depending on the injuries. There is an expected level of violence but using a helmet as a weapon takes it from sport to real life.

If you use anything as a weapon to try and injure someone that’s assault. That’s not an overreaction at all. Garrett lost his **** and is now trying to improve the court of public opinion of him by pretending a racial slur was heard. Wouldn’t be the first time someone has tried to weaponize racism to their benefit.

[Pharmcat]

The NFL needs to release all audio from that game so people can hear what was or was not said

[jwise44]

The NFL needs to release all audio from that game so people can hear what was or was not said

I agree, there are people that I know saying Myles is making up that mason used a racial slur (I don’t even know who I truly believe), but if he did then we should know for Myles sake and if he didn’t then we should know for masons sake

[Repeat 3-peat]

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Garrett would have looked better if he brought this up exactly after the incident instead of waiting almost a week to make the claim of a racial slur being used.