Cleveland Browns franchise pass rusher Myles Garrett will continue to remain indefinitely suspended by the NFL for hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with his helmet during last weeks Thursday Night Football game.
The upheld suspension comes after Garrett decided to appeal the indefinite suspension. Garrett will be able to apply for reinstatement once the season ends. In addition to the upheld suspension, Garrett will have to pay a $43,623 fine.
Garrett claimed that Rudolph used a racial slur, which prompted him to act out on the young quarterback. Rudolph has since denied the allegations. Steelers offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey appealed his suspension as well, with his suspension going down from three games to two.
While it appears Rudolph instigated the fight, a suspension does not look to be coming down from the NFL, but a fine will be in place for the second-year quarterback.
With Garrett out for the rest of the season, Cleveland will face a tall order in its run toward the playoffs. But even without Garrett, Cleveland plays a favorable enough schedule to potentially make the playoffs with games against the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals twice, and the Arizona Cardinals.
Before the fight changed the season narrative, Cleveland was on a high with two straight wins against AFC Conference opponents. The team is third in the AFC North.
Cleveland and Pittsburgh play against each other again on December 1, which will no doubt be a high-tension game with recent events and both teams vying for a playoff spot.