CLEVELAND, OHIO – JANUARY 03: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers passes against the Cleveland Browns in the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Myles Garrett and Mason Rudolph had a brief exchange following Sunday’s game between the Browns and Steelers.
The Cleveland Browns needing a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers to reach the postseason was one of the top storylines entering Sunday. But it was not the only one once Mason Rudolph was announced as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback.
Of course, there was plenty of focus on Rudolph facing off against Myles Garrett after the two had an infamous exchange last season that resulted in the Browns defender hitting the quarterback over the head with a helmet. It was ugly, and both players tried to move on this week when speaking with the media.
There was no exchange during the game, but the two were spotted chatting briefly once the teams were heading to the locker room following the Browns win.
Garrett and Rudolph move on from the past
Garrett seemed to be the one to head over toward Rudolph and the two were seen talking and shaking hands. There was no aggression on either side, and it seems like they have moved on completely from the incident. Rudolph spoke of how he respected Garrett during the week and the bad blood is nowhere near where it was in 2019.
This may have been a bigger recurring storyline if Rudolph was actually the starter in Pittsburgh. These two teams do meet up again next Sunday in the postseason, but Rudolph won’t play unless disaster strikes for the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger.
The fact both men were able to have a quick chat should put this story to bed for good. Media members can continue to ask about it, but there’s not much to say anymore. The Browns actually being good at the same time as the Steelers should mean the focus can now shift back to football and the upcoming playoff matchup.