Mike Tomlin revisited one of the most controversial moments in the Steelers-Browns rivalry, and his latest comments came with a touch of humor. During an appearance on Cameron Heyward’s podcast, a conversation about the infamous Myles Garrett and Mason Rudolph altercation led to an amusing comment about Tomlin’s former quarterback.
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“He’s our punchable face,” said the former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach while speaking on the No Just Football podcast. “He kind of lightened the mood, though, when I said it, right? I was like, yeah, he does. He is very punchable.”
Tomlin commented on Rudolph, whom Garrett attacked during the Steelers-Cleveland Browns matchup on November 14, 2019. The incident happened during a Thursday Night Football game at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. With seconds remaining, Garrett brought down Rudolph after he released a pass.
Things got worse when Garrett removed Rudolph’s helmet and struck him with it. The confrontation led to a larger fight involving players from both teams. Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey immediately rushed in to defend Rudolph, punching Garrett and kicking him while he was down.
Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi also joined the altercation as he pushed Rudolph from behind. The officials ejected Garrett, Pouncey, and Ogunjobi from the game for their misconduct.
Cleveland had a 21-7 glorious win, but it was overshadowed by the post-game confrontation. Garrett faced severe disciplinary action from the NFL. He was suspended for the remainder of the 2019 regular season and the Browns’ postseason game. Pouncey was suspended for three games, and Ogunjobi got a one-game suspension.
The incident created an awkward tension between Garrett and Rudolph. Garrett later claimed that Rudolph had used a racial slur during their exchange, an allegation the quarterback denied.
“He called me the N-word,” Garrett told ESPN’s Mina Kimes. “He called me a ‘stupid N-word.'”
The NFL investigated the matter but found no evidence supporting his claim. Tomlin also released a statement on the Saturday morning after the game.
“I support Mason Rudolph not only because I know him, but also because I was on the field immediately following the altercation with Myles Garrett and subsequently after the game. I interacted with a lot of people in the Cleveland Browns organization, players and coaches,” Tomlin said, according to the NFL.
“If Mason said what Myles claimed, it would have come out during the many interactions I had with those in the Browns’ organization. In my conversations, I had a lot of expressions of sorrow for what transpired. I received no indication of anything racial or anything of that nature in those interactions.”
In time, the two players moved on. After another Browns-Steelers matchup on January 3, 2021, Garrett approached Rudolph for a postgame handshake. The Browns won 24-22 against the Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Now, Tomlin’s punchable-face comment was clearly a joke, but it gave fans a fresh perspective on an incident that once overshadowed the entire Steelers- Browns rivalry.