Mike Tomlin, Mason Rudolph Address Myles Garrett's Reiteration of Racial Slur Claim
PITTSBURGH -- In recent days, Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph fell under more fire for accusations that he used a racial slur during an altercation with Myles Garrett that ultimately ended in Garrett using Rudolph's helmet as a weapon.
After being reinstated by the NFL on Wednesday, Garrett sat down with ESPN's Mina Kimes and reiterated his claim that Rudolph did use a racial slur on Nov. 14 after Garrett tackled him.
"He called me the N-word," Garrett said. "He called me a 'stupid N-word.'"
Garrett expressed his belief that the altercation that led to 33 players of both the Steelers and Browns being fined - including three players being suspended - was started by the words of Rudolph.
"When he said it, it kind of sparked something, but I still tried to let it go and still walk away. But once he came back, it kind of reignited the situation," Garrett said. "And not only have you escalated things past what they needed to be with such little time in the game left, now you're trying to reengage and start a fight again. It's definitely not entirely his fault; it's definitely both parties doing something that we shouldn't have been doing."
Days since the claim, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the situation in a statement.
"I support Mason Rudolph not only because I know him, but also because I was on the field immediately following the altercation with Myles Garrett, and subsequently after the game. I interacted with a lot of people in the Cleveland Browns organization - players and coaches. If Mason said what Myles claimed, it would have come out during the many interactions I had with those in the Browns' organization. In my conversations, I had a lot of expressions of sorrow for what transpired. I received no indication of anything racial or anything of that nature in those interactions."
Rudolph denied Garrett's allegations when they were originally expressed following his indefinite suspension, saying they were "totally untrue." He backed that statement in a response on Twitter Saturday morning.
Rudolph's representation also released a statement saying Garrett is now "exposed to legal liability."
The NFL said they found no use of a racial slur during their investigation of the incident.
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