This makes for intriguing news on many levels. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday that Mason Rudolph will start for the team at quarterback on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
In today’s press conference, Coach Tomlin said Mason Rudolph will start at quarterback for our Week 17 game against Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/PKAVvbS6TD
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 29, 2020
First things first: The Steelers could move up to the No. 2 seed in the AFC with a victory and Buffalo Bills loss to the Miami Dolphins.
That said, Tomlin has decided to rest Ben Roethlisberger and get him ready for the playoffs.
The juicy piece is Rudolph and the Browns’ Myles Garrett have major history.
Remember last year when a fracas erupted that saw Rudolph engage in battle with the Browns’ lineman swinging the quarterback’s helmet at him. The fight occurred in the final seconds of the Browns-Steelers game on Nov. 14.
Cleveland was up 21-7, and the game’s fate was all but secured. On a late play, Garrett broke through the Steelers’ line and sacked Rudolph. And it was on.
The battle led to an indefinite suspension for Garrett, which lasted the rest of the season. Garrett claimed he swung the helmet in response to Rudolph using a racial slur. Rudolph has repeatedly denied the accusation, and an NFL investigation found no evidence to support it.
Rudolph was fined $50,000 for his role in the ugly incident.
