Garrett suspended after ugly fight
Cleveland star gone for rest of season; others are disciplined
The NFL suspended Browns defensive end Myles Garrett on Friday for at least the rest of the 2019 season after he ripped off the helmet of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and then swung it into Rudolph’s head on “Thursday Night Football.”
The league fined the Browns and Steelers $250,000 each for the melee late in Cleveland’s 217 win on national television.
Garrett has been suspended without pay indefinitely and must meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell before a decision on his reinstatement. Garrett’s suspension is for at least the final six regularseason games and any playoffs, should the 46 Browns defy the odds to earn a berth. The league also fined him an undisclosed amount.
Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey has been suspended without pay for three games and fined an undisclosed amount by the NFL for punching and kicking Garrett.
Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi has been suspended without pay for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by the league for shoving a helmetless Rudolph to the ground.
Garrett is expected to appeal, a league source told the Akron Beacon Journal.
Former Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley blamed Garrett’s outofcontrol behavior on poor coaching.
Fired after eight games last season with thencoach Hue Jackson when it appeared Haley might be named to the interim post, Haley criticized Kitchens and his staff Friday on the SiriusXM NFL Radio show Haley hosts.
“The Browns won the game, but it’s kind of what’s been biting them in the backside throughout this year and throughout the last few years is just lack of selfcontrol and discipline,” Haley said in a radio clip. “This to me, this comes back to coaching. This falls squarely right on the head coach, because the head coach talks to every assistant coach, who then talks to their group of players. There’s an old saying in coaching, ‘You’re either coaching it or you’re allowing it to happen.’ ”
Kitchens offered little in response during a conference call Friday.
“I don’t really give much thought into what Todd says. I’m not even going to respond to it,” Kitchens said. “I know the way we continue to talk about maintaining our composure and we have to do a better job of maintaining our composure. Everybody.”
Browns starting safety Morgan Burnett is done for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.
Eagles add back: The Eagles signed Jay Ajayi, adding depth to a running back room suddenly in flux. The team’s leading running back, Jordan Howard, is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Patriots with a shoulder injury. Coach Doug Pederson announced that news Friday, moments after the team released a statement that Darren Sproles is out for the season with a torn hip flexor. Sproles was put on injured reserve to clear a roster spot for Ajayi. Falcons trio hurt: The Atlanta Falcons will be without running back Devonta Freeman, tight end Austin Hooper and safety Kemal Ishmael for Sunday’s game at Carolina.
All three were ruled out Friday. Freeman sustained a sprained foot in last weekend’s upset victory over New Orleans, and Hooper went down with a sprained knee. Ishmael won’t play against the Panthers because of a concussion. Jets hurting: New York Jets center Ryan Kalil will miss his third straight game with an injured right knee.
He was officially ruled out Friday, along with safety Matthias Farley (quadriceps) and linebackers C.J. Mosley (groin) and Paul Worrilow (quadriceps).
“He didn’t have a setback,” coach Adam Gase said of Kalil. “We’re just trying to figure out what’s going on with him, and we just thought that was the best thing to do.”
Kalil will again be replaced by Jonotthan Harrison on the starting offensive line.
“He’s been good,” Gase said. “He did a good job last game.”
Running back Le’Veon Bell missed practice Wednesday with an illness and was limited Thursday and Friday while dealing with a sore knee and ribs. He’s expected to play Sunday at Washington.