Browns take down Steelers in game that gets ugly at end
The Cleveland Browns kept fighting long after the outcome had been decided, and it likely will cost them their best defensive player.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett ripped off Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet and hit him with it in the head in the final seconds as the Browns’ 21-7 win over the Steelers on Thursday night ended with a wild brawl between the rivals.
Garrett faces a likely suspension for his actions, and Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey will likely be disciplined for kicking Garrett in the head.
Players from both sidelines spilled on the field during the melee, which began after Garrett wrestled Rudolph to the ground well after he completed a screen pass on a meaningless play. Garrett, Pouncey and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi were ejected.
Rudolph got his hand on Garrett’s helmet first as the players wrestled on the ground, but Garrett escalated the brawl after he got back on his feet. He yanked the helmet off Rudolph and swung wildly, hitting the quarterback on the top of the head. Rudolph threw his arms in the air in disbelief after the impact, and Pouncey retaliated by punching and kicking Garrett.
“The reality is he’s going to get suspended, we don’t know how long, and that’s going to hurt our team,” Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield said immediately after the game.
The Browns (4- 6) have won two in a row after dropping four straight, a skid that put first-year coach Freddie Kitchens’ job in jeopardy.
But Mayfield’s 8-yard TD pass to undrafted rookie tight end Stephen Carlson with 5:25 left helped clinch a rare win over the rival Steelers. And softer upcoming schedule has eased the pressure on Kitchens and given the Browns some hope they can end the NFL’s longest playoff drought.
The loss was especially damaging to the Steelers (5-5). EX-COACHES WILL LEAD KAEPERNICK’S WORKOUT » Colin Kaepernick’s open workout for all 32 teams in Atlanta on Saturday will be led by former Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson, with former Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin also participating, the NFL announced in a statement Thursday.
Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, has not played since the 2016 season.
The NFL scheduled a workout for Kaepernick at the Atlanta Falcons’ practice facility. The 49ers have indicated they will attend in some capacity, and the league announced that several teams — Arizona, Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Miami, New England, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tampa Bay and Washington — have confirmed they will attend, with more expected to commit. BROWNS RELEASE TROUBLED PLAYER » Antonio Callaway doesn’t have to worry about running late to any more Browns games.
Cleveland cut the wide receiver just hours before facing the Steelers.
Callaway’s release came after he was benched by first-year coach Kitchens for Sunday’s game against Buffalo because he didn’t get to FirstEnergy Stadium on time. Earlier this week, Kitchens said he didn’t know if Callaway got the message with the discipline.
The Browns sent a harsher one, releasing the speedy Callaway, whose problems followed him from Florida.
The 22- year- old was suspended for the first four games this season by the NFL for violating the league’s drug policy. He caught eight passes for 89 yards in four games since his re-instatement and the
Browns hoped he’d mature. EAGLES’ JEFFERY MISSES ANOTHER PRACTICE » Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery did not practice for the second straight day on Thursday.
Coach Doug Pederson told reporters on Wednesday that Jeffery was considered day-to- day with a calf injury for the Eagles (5- 4), who host the New England Patriots (8-1) on Sunday. Rookie J. J. Arcega-Whiteside likely would draw in the lineup if Jeffery is unavailable to play against the Patriots.
Jeffery missed Philadelphia’s 27-24 loss to Detroit on Sept. 22 with a calf injury before returning to play in the next six games. He reportedly aggravated the injury in the Eagles’ victory over Chicago on Nov. 3. LIONS’ STAFFORD UNCERTAIN FOR SUNDAY » Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford did not practice for the second straight day on Thursday, increasing doubt about his availability for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Stafford sat out last Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Chicago Bears with a back injury. Jeff Driskel likely will make his second straight start for the Lions (3- 5-1) against the Cowboys (5- 4) if Stafford is unavailable to practice today.
Driskel completed 27 of 46 passes for 269 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Bears at Soldier Field. Stafford had started every game under center for the Lions since the start of the 2011 season, a string of 136 consecutive starts.