Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Terry Baldshaw wrote:There is no reason to suspend Rudolph. How many players get into a scuffle and grab another player's facemask? How many are suspended for doing so?

I could say that the Steelers contributed to the mess by passing with 15 seconds left. The game was OVER. Run the ball and end it. Garrett grabbed Rudolph and refused to let go, finally taking the QB to the ground. Many QBs get upset over such an action. The problem started when Garrett lost his cool. The fast that no damage occurred to Rudolph is irrelevant. Garrett used the helmet as a weapon with the intent to do harm.

I don't blame Pouncey for defending his QB. He kicked a another man, however, and that is a cowardly act.

It was a violent end to a depressingly dull game between two mediocre teams.

Yes, thank you, someone else closely watched the last play of the game!

First off, the game was well over. The last play was not going to decide anything. Garrett drives Rudolph into the ground, when he really did not need to make contact with the QB. Why wasn't there a roughing the passer flag?

If the Browns have any integrity they would fire Freddie Kitchens. The fact this entire situation took place raises a large red flag that Kitchens has ZERO control of the team.

Terry Baldshaw wrote:There is no reason to suspend Rudolph. How many players get into a scuffle and grab another player's facemask? How many are suspended for doing so?

I could say that the Steelers contributed to the mess by passing with 15 seconds left. The game was OVER. Run the ball and end it. Garrett grabbed Rudolph and refused to let go, finally taking the QB to the ground. Many QBs get upset over such an action. The problem started when Garrett lost his cool. The fast that no damage occurred to Rudolph is irrelevant. Garrett used the helmet as a weapon with the intent to do harm.

Well said, Terry!

If the Browns have any integrity they would fire Freddie Kitchens. The fact this entire situation took place raises a large red flag that Kitchens has ZERO control of the team.

Good point. Also, I think that Garrett should be suspended for the rest of this season and next, and then the Browns need to get rid of him in 2021.

James wrote:

JWL wrote:

James wrote:I can't believe Pouncey was suspended three games. He should have beat the fuck out of Garrett for what Garrett did to the QB. It seems like the NFL, besides pussyfying the game, now takes issue with a teammate trying to defend another teammate, it's nuts.

If you come to my job and start attacking my co-worker and then I beat the crap out of you, you'd be okay with what I did, right?

If I came to your job and started beating the crap out of one of your co-workers and you jumped in and beat the crap out of me, well, I deserved it as you would be defending your co-worker.

I hated the analogy I made after I thought about it an hour later. It was a terrible analogy on my part.

No analogy is necessary, I'm just going to keep it to football. In my second post in this thread, I indicated that I understood what Pouncey did but that it still wasn't cool. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Pouncey kicked a guy who was already down. That guy was pinned by one of Pouncey's teammates who was trying to end the bad scene before Garrett could attack anybody else and before anyone else could attack Garrett.

Pouncey repeatedly kicking Garrett (who did have his helmet on) has only gotten a few mentions here. Along with that, the fact that Ogunjobi was also suspended a game for ostensibly defending his teammate helps explain why the suspensions differ. That said, Garrett deserved his suspension.

I was hoping to see some historical perspective regarding the helmet rip (going back to the (Alzado/Ward incident) or looking at some of the more notorious Browns/Steelers moments (Joe Greene repeatedly kicking Browns OT Bob McKay in the groin/Turkey Jones piledriving Terry Bradshaw the next year). Maybe someone showed it, but I didn't see any evidence.

Regarding the Garrett suspension, CBS had the most hyperbolic reference when the incident was reported on all three OTA nightly news shows when they solemnly intoned, "Garrett may never play again..."

BD Sullivan wrote:Pouncey repeatedly kicking Garrett (who did have his helmet on) has only gotten a few mentions here. Along with that, the fact that Ogunjobi was also suspended a game for ostensibly defending his teammate helps explain why the suspensions differ. That said, Garrett deserved his suspension.

I was hoping to see some historical perspective regarding the helmet rip (going back to the (Alzado/Ward incident) or looking at some of the more notorious Browns/Steelers moments (Joe Greene repeatedly kicking Browns OT Bob McKay in the groin/Turkey Jones piledriving Terry Bradshaw the next year). Maybe someone showed it, but I didn't see any evidence.

Regarding the Garrett suspension, CBS had the most hyperbolic reference when the incident was reported on all three OTA nightly news shows when they solemnly intoned, "Garrett may never play again..."

I've been waiting for somebody to mention the Alzado-Ward incident. IMO Garrett's actions were worse.

JeffreyMiller wrote:

Terry Baldshaw wrote:There is no reason to suspend Rudolph. How many players get into a scuffle and grab another player's facemask? How many are suspended for doing so?

I could say that the Steelers contributed to the mess by passing with 15 seconds left. The game was OVER. Run the ball and end it. Garrett grabbed Rudolph and refused to let go, finally taking the QB to the ground. Many QBs get upset over such an action. The problem started when Garrett lost his cool. The fast that no damage occurred to Rudolph is irrelevant. Garrett used the helmet as a weapon with the intent to do harm.

Well said, Terry!

Again not saying Garrett was right but your not to holding Rudolph accountable for starting the mess?.......So what your saying is if a QB doesn't like the way he is treated he can do anything like try to pull off a helmet or kick an opponent and not expect any reaction.

JKelly wrote:

JeffreyMiller wrote:

Terry Baldshaw wrote:There is no reason to suspend Rudolph. How many players get into a scuffle and grab another player's facemask? How many are suspended for doing so?

I could say that the Steelers contributed to the mess by passing with 15 seconds left. The game was OVER. Run the ball and end it. Garrett grabbed Rudolph and refused to let go, finally taking the QB to the ground. Many QBs get upset over such an action. The problem started when Garrett lost his cool. The fast that no damage occurred to Rudolph is irrelevant. Garrett used the helmet as a weapon with the intent to do harm.

Well said, Terry!

Again not saying Garrett was right but your not to holding Rudolph accountable for starting the mess?.......So what your saying is if a QB doesn't like the way he is treated he can do anything like try to pull off a helmet or kick an opponent and not expect any reaction.

Sounds like what you're saying is a professional athlete should lie there like a possum while he's being pinned down and not let up. What Rudolph did was at least trying to get the guy off him, and at most self defense. I think Rudolph is smarth enough to know there is no way he would win a fight against someone of Garrett's size and strength, so I doubt his intent was to pick a fight.

JKelly wrote:

JeffreyMiller wrote:

Terry Baldshaw wrote:There is no reason to suspend Rudolph. How many players get into a scuffle and grab another player's facemask? How many are suspended for doing so?

I could say that the Steelers contributed to the mess by passing with 15 seconds left. The game was OVER. Run the ball and end it. Garrett grabbed Rudolph and refused to let go, finally taking the QB to the ground. Many QBs get upset over such an action. The problem started when Garrett lost his cool. The fast that no damage occurred to Rudolph is irrelevant. Garrett used the helmet as a weapon with the intent to do harm.

Well said, Terry!

Again not saying Garrett was right but your not to holding Rudolph accountable for starting the mess?.......So what your saying is if a QB doesn't like the way he is treated he can do anything like try to pull off a helmet or kick an opponent and
not expect any reaction.

I believe I addressed that in my first paragraph. I'm not absolving Rudolph for his role. He was fined and I agree with it .I should have stated that in my original post. I simply don't believe what he did was worthy of a suspension.

I agree I don’t think Rudolph should be suspended. What I don’t like is the fact that what he did was discounted as a nonfactor in this mess here and by a good deal of the media. Like I said if he just waited and got up no harm no foul. It’s not like he was in a prison shower. Rudolph’s overreaction caused and even larger and more dangerous overreaction.