One-Game Suspension Upheld for Browns Defender Larry Ogunjobi

Following last Thursday’s brawl between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, three players were suspended for their actions. All three have appealed the punishments, but only defensive end Larry Ogunjobi has received his fate. The Browns’ starter was informed on Wednesday that his one-game suspension has been upheld.

Ogunjobi met with James Thrash, the jointly-appointed appeals officer, on Monday in hopes of having his suspension overturned. The goal was to be active for the upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins. Instead, he will miss time while Devaroe Lawrence and Eli Ankou see additional work.

The defender was originally suspended for one game after he ran toward the skirmish and shoved quarterback Mason Rudolph in the back, knocking him to the ground.

Thrash did make one change to Ogunjobi’s punishment following his Monday appeal. He rescinded the fine of $10,527 that had been handed down alongside the suspension.

A 10-game starter for the Browns in 2019, Ogunjobi has registered 28 tackles and five sacks. The Charlotte product is in the midst of this third season with Cleveland and is on pace for a career-high in sacks. His best year (2018) saw him take down opposing quarterbacks 5.5 times.

While Ogunjobi has learned his fate, both Maurkice Pouncey and Myles Garrett are still waiting to hear the decisions about their respective suspensions. Thrash met with Garrett on Wednesday during an appeal that lasted less than two hours. According to sources, the primary arguments during this sitdown were that the Collective Bargaining Agreement does not allow indefinite suspensions for on-field actions and that there was a precedent set in 2013 that covers the act of using a helmet as a weapon.

As of right now, Garrett is scheduled to miss the remainder of the 2019 regular season, the playoffs, and, potentially, multiple games in 2020. He will have to meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell prior to being reinstated.

Pouncey, on the other hand, is scheduled to miss three games after kicking and punching Garrett while he was on the ground. He met with appeals officer Derrick Brooks and presented his case. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, a representative from the Steelers joined Pouncey during this appeal to explain that the suspension should be shortened. The team believes that the NFL used a three-game ban in order to keep the center out of the lineup for a rematch with the Browns in week 13.

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