There will be somewhat of an ironic twist when the Cleveland Browns face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The Browns have named defensive end Myles Garrett as a captain for Week 17's much-anticipated affair.
While Garrett's captain status could be passed off as a general nod for a good player, what makes it eyebrow-raising is that Mason Rudolph is starting at quarterback for the Steelers. Garrett and Rudolph have a history with each other, but Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski offered up his reason for the move:
Browns’ HC Kevin Stefanski announced that Myles Garrett will be a captain for Sunday's game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. "It's a big game and we want to send the big guy out there," Stefanski said.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2021
With Garrett and Rudolph set to face off, their unfortunate brawl and ensuing beef last season is a storyline surrounding this game. Rudolph wanted to clear the air on Friday when asked about his thoughts on Garrett:
He has not reached out to me in any capacity, but I have a lot of respect for Myles,” Rudolph said, via ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin. “Outside of that, this game’s too big to worry about anything external that happened years ago.”
The two players went at it during a game last season, with Garrett swinging Rudolph's helmet at the quarterback's head. Garrett later accused Rudolph of rattling off racial slurs, which could've prompted the Browns star's actions.
Hopefully, as Rudolph mentioned, both players will be able to put the past behind them on Sunday. The Browns are fighting for a chance to get in the playoffs. Their chances got a little better with Ben Roethlisberger sitting out and Rudolph taking over under center.
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