Cleveland Browns defender Myles Garrett went to New York on Wednesday to meet with jointly-appointed officer James Thrash and appeal his indefinite suspension from the NFL. This punishment was handed down in response to him clubbing Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph over the head with his own helmet. Garrett admitted that he was in the wrong for these actions, but he is attempting to get the punishment reduced while using a previous case as precedent.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Garrett’s appeal will consist of two primary arguments. First, he will attempt to prove that the Collective Bargaining Agreement does not allow for an indefinite suspension for on-field actions. Second, Garrett will use a previous incident from NFL history to prove why he should face a reduced sentence.
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Back in 2013, Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith was suspended for two preseason games and the first regular-season game after swinging his helmet at then-Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito.
From NFL Now: #Browns DE Myles Garrett had his appeals hearing, in person, today as he battles his suspension at least through the end of the regular season. pic.twitter.com/U5zijd7h3b
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 20, 2019
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the NFL Player’s Association and Garrett argued that the precedent set by this incident with Smith and Incognito makes the indefinite suspension excessive, especially from a financial aspect. The Texans defender only missed out on one game check given that players aren’t paid for preseason action. In this instance, Garrett will be missing out on at least six games, and possibly many more based on the appeal.
The ESPN report revealed that Garrett’s hearing started around 9:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday. He was seen leaving the building less than two hours later. According to ESPN‘s Dianna Russini, a source revealed that that the NFL wants to make a decision on Garrett’s appeal quickly.
Whether or not this appeal pans out for Garrett remains to be seen, but the Browns are currently preparing for life without the Pro Bowl defender. Head coach Freddie Kitchens has reiterated that the team supports Garrett, but they can not control the league’s decision about this punishment.
“We can’t control that. … We’re just gonna control what we can control,” Kitchens said. “We have nothing to do with that. Myles has great representation, but more importantly, Myles will represent himself well.”
Photo Credit: 2019 Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty
