Mason Rudolph Fined $50,000 for Role in Browns-Steelers Brawl

Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph has been fined $50,000 for his role in last week's brawl with Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.

Rudolph was among a group of 33 players, and the Browns and Steelers organizations who received fines totaling $732,422 for the fight. The quarterback received the largest fine out of the bunch. 

Pittsburgh and Cleveland were fined $250,000 each. 

Rudolph can appeal to have his fine reduced under NFL rules if it is found to be "excessive when compared to the player's expected earnings for the season in question," per ESPN. The quarterback, who is in the second year of his rookie deal, has a base salary of $658,267 and earns $38,721.59 per game.

In the final seconds of last week's Browns-Steelers game, Rudolph and Garrett were involved in a tussle and exchanged words before Garrett ripped Rudolph's helmet off and struck him in the head with it. The following day the NFL handed Garrett an indefinite suspension for his actions. The league also suspended Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi three games and one game for their roles in the fight.

On Wednesday, Rudolph addressed the media to apologize for his role in the incident.

"As for my involvement last week, there is no acceptable excuse," he said. "The bottom line is I should have done a better job keeping my composure in that situation. I fell short of what I believe it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler and a member of the NFL."

During Garrett's appeal hearing on the same day, he accused Rudolph of using a racial slur before the fracas. Rudolph and the Steelers denied the allegation, and the NFL later said it "found no such evidence" of Garrett's claim.

This week, appeals officer James Thrash upheld Garrett's indefinite ban and Ogunjobi's one-game suspension. Garrett was fined $45,623, according to Rapoport. Earlier in the week, Pouncey's ban was reduced from three games to two while his $35,096 fine was upheld.