Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph talked to reporters Wednesday, for the first time since he was clocked in the head with his own helmet by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
Via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rudolph read a prepared statement and took a few questions, apologizing to his teammates and saying he had no ill will toward Garrett.
“I did not agree with the way [Garrett] took me to the ground and my natural reaction was to get him off from on top of me,” Rudolph said. I have no ill-will toward Myles Garrett. I know if Myles could go back he would handle this situation differently.”
Rudolph said he should not have put Maurkice Pouncey in a situation to have to defend him. Pouncey was suspended three games for kicking Garrett at the tail end of the scuffle, which began with Rudolph and Garrett squaring off, Rudolph tugging on Garrett’s facemask, and Garrett then jerking Rudolph’s helmet off and swinging it at him. Garrett was suspended indefinitely, and his hearing with the league is today.
Asked if he did anything to provoke Garrett, Rudolph said: “Definitely didn’t say anything. I got to do a better job of keeping my composure in those situations.”
Rudolph said he hasn’t been fined yet, though more fines are anticipated from the incident last Thursday. He said he’d comply with whatever the league handed him.