With Cleveland Browns defender Myles Garrett set to face an indefinite suspension for his actions on Thursday night, he will be given the opportunity to appeal the decision. This will be his best chance to have the suspension reduced to a finite number of games, depending on his argument and the appeals officer. The time has now been set for this appeal, and Garrett will be presenting his case on Wednesday.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the independent appeals officer that will be in charge of hearing Garrett out will be James Thrash. He is one of two jointly-appointed figures, along with Derrick Brooks, that listen to appeals from suspended players and decide whether to uphold the league’s decision, reduce the number of games, or potentially overturn the suspension altogether.
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At this point, having Thrash overturn the NFL‘s decision to indefinitely suspend Garrett is unlikely, but he could reduce the number of games that the defender will miss.
In recent years, Thrash has heard a number of appeals, and he has shown a willingness to reduce the suspensions. In 2017, he met with former Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib and reduced a two-game ban down to only one. He did the same for then-Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict the same year, reducing a five-game suspension down to three.
Schefter also reported that Garrett will be making the trip to New York to state his case in person. These appeals are not usually conducted on a face-to-face basis, but Garrett will be doing so on Wednesday.
Garrett is currently suspended indefinitely for clubbing Mason Rudolph over the head with his own helmet, and he is required to meet with the commissioner prior to being reinstated. However, there is one source close to the situation that believes the defender will be arguing that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement does not allow for a player to be suspended indefinitely for on-field actions. This will apply to Garrett’s case and could set the stage for a potential reduction in games missed.
While Garrett is unlikely to have his season-long suspension reduced to the point that he returns to the Cleveland Browns in 2019, there is a scenario in which he could rejoin the team for the start of the 2020 campaign. Although his meeting with Thrash on Wednesday will play a major role in this decision.
For now, the Cleveland Browns will prepare for the upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins with the expectation that Garrett will not be suiting up.
(Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty)
