Week 17 storylines are plentiful for the Cleveland Browns, and head coach Kevin Stefanski adds more.
Stefanski said Friday that Star Defensive End Myles Garrett will captain the Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The AFC North opponent starts Mason Rudolph at quarterback and raises eyebrows and attention after the helmet incident during last season’s game.
“It’s a big game and we want to send the big guy out of there,” said Stefanski of ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “It’s in no way a recall on anything before, so I just want to make sure that’s clear.”
Cleveland Brown’s defensive end, Myles Garrett, will be the captain for the Steelers game. (AP Photo / Ron Schwane)
Garrett chose to be captain against Steelers
Garrett picked that game as captain after failing to captain during the game against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, he said on Friday.
Myles Garrett says he originally wanted to be the captain for the Dallas Cowboys game. When he didn’t get that opportunity, Stefanski asked him which game he wanted to be captain … and he said that this weekend.
– Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) January 1, 2021
It is the first time since the November 2019 incident that the Steelers have returned to Cleveland. Towards the end of the Browns’ 21-7 win, Garrett tore Rudolph’s helmet off, struck the quarterback in the head. Garrett, who claimed Rudolph used a racial fraud (Rudolph denied this), was suspended indefinitely and missed the rest of the season. He considered retiring but returned this season after being reinstated.
Stefanski and Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the rematch earlier this week, saying it was in the rearview mirror. Garrett said on Friday, “It’s not me against him” and he would be open to talking to the quarterback.
“I go against it [Rudolph]That doesn’t change anything for me, ”Garrett said on a conference call with reporters.
Myles Garrett was asked if he could have an easier time beating Rudolph for fear of punishment: “He will be hit like everyone else. I won’t put a pillow under his head until I bring him to the ground. But I won’t do anything extra. “(No video for MG today) pic.twitter.com/fYUpKlA3cO
– Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) January 1, 2021
The Steelers won the two previous meetings between the teams, both in Pittsburgh. This is Rudolph’s first start to the season after coming on for veteran Ben Roethlisberger last season while sustaining an elbow injury. Roethlisberger is suspending the final as the Steelers have already won the AFC North Division title.
The story goes on
Browns try to ignore noise
The Browns are in a win-and-in situation as they advance to the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season. The group tries to “ignore the noise,” said Stefanski.
The #Browns have the opportunity to end a playoff drought that has lasted nearly two decades against # Steelers Sunday. Kevin Stefanski says no, his players don’t seem to be taking the weight off it this week: “We are focused on the job.” And: “This includes ignoring the noise.”
– Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) January 1, 2021
The Browns have looked at positive COVID-19 cases for the past week and have had to close their team facility twice. The group of recipients, including Jarvis Landry who missed the New York Jets week 16 loss due to contact tracing, will return to the final.
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