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A full six days (the equivalent of 30 internet light years) after the Steelers/Browns brawl heard round the world, Mason Rudolph decided to deliver a long-winded prepared statement semi-apologizing for his role in the chaos.
Reading from a piece of paper to a handful of reporters nearly a week after he called Myles Garrett’s overreaction “cowardly and bush league,” the Steelers quarterback said he should have done a better job keeping his cool. Rudolph then attempted to rationalize his anger by claiming Garrett’s hit on him was late (it wasn’t) and the Browns had already sent JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson to the NFL’s concussion protocol after two targeting penalties.
Browns cornerback Damarious Randall was ejected for the hit on Johnson but no flags were thrown after JuJu was sandwiched and hit in the head by two Browns defenders.
Former Browns legendary lineman Joe Thomas called out Mason Rudolph in the wake of his apology for reading a prepared statement long after the NFL already announced Myles Garrett’s season-long suspension. He also claimed Rudolph had plenty of time to get the technicalities correct: there weren’t, in fact, two targeting penalties called (just one).
It’s just a tough look for Rudolph to be up there speaking directly from a piece of paper like some whack ass bridesmaid speech and to still be touting the lie that Garrett hit him late.
Rudolph should only be apologizing for throwing four interceptions in the loss.