The NFL is abuzz Friday morning as everyone has an opinion about the ridiculous events that transpired at the end of the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-7 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. If you happened to miss the end of the game, you can get caught up on the scrum that ensued right here.
There were really four major players in this. On the Pittsburgh side, you have quarterback Mason Rudolph and center Maurkice Pouncey. For Cleveland, you have defensive end Myles Garrett and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi. All four should receive some level of discipilne by the NFL and here are our predictions.
DE Myles Garrett
Browns’ fans won’t like this but Garrett is the main culprit in all this. There are plenty of fans trying to defend his actions and somehow justifying them based on how Rudolph acted in the moment. But it’s safe to assume the NFL won’t see it that way. Garrett isn’t getting a year-long ban so put that aside. Based on previous incidents similar to this and rounding up for the magnitude and stage it occurred, we are going with a six-game suspension for Garrett.
C Maurkice Pouncey
First and foremost, props to Pouncey for not apologizing for his part in the fight. And props to him for being willing to accept whatever penalty the league hands down, knowing he’d defend his quarterback again given the opportunity. Pouncey took Garrett to the ground and threw multiple punches and kicks after Garrett hit Rudolph on the head with his own helmet. What will this earn Pouncey? I’m leaning two games so he isn’t on the field when these two teams meet again in two weeks.
QB Mason Rudolph
If you talk to most Steelers’ fans, they feel like Rudolph needs to be fully exonerated for any involvement in the fight. But the truth is he was an active participant, even if he did take it to the level the others involved did. Will he be suspended? At this point, I’m leaning toward no but I’m counting on a hefty fine for the blows he threw at Garrett after the Browns defender took him to the ground.
DT Larry Ogunjobi
If you weren’t paying attention you might not have noticed Ogunjubi’s part in the fight but the NFL will be paying attention. After Pouncey and Garrett went to the ground Ogunjubi chose to come up and cheapshot Rudolph in the back rather than help out his teammate taking a whooping on the ground. Rudolph had removed himself from it and never saw the hit coming. Let’s go with a one-game suspension for Ogunjobi.