Myles Garrett indefinite suspension harsh, but justified

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has been indefinitely suspended for his role in an altercation Thursday night, which is a warranted punishment

The NFL wasn’t messing around.

Just hours after Myles Garrett swung a helmet at the cranium of Mason Rudolph, he’s been slapped with a harsh suspension.

As of now, the Cleveland Browns defensive end will be suspended for the remainder of the season but it could be even longer as the league announced an “indefinite suspension” for No. 95.

In addition to the punishment handed down to Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi was also suspended a game and the Browns were fined $250,000 as an organization.

As for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they too received the huge fine and will see Maurkice Pouncey suspended for one game.

Of course, there’s already outcry from the Cleveland fan base since quarterback Mason Rudolph was not suspended, even though he was the one who started the fight.

That shouldn’t be a shock because the league is clearly not going to suspend a guy who has his picture plastered all over the news while being smacked upside the head with a helmet. Sure, he started it and takes no fault, but that’s a terrible look and the league won’t wade in those waters.

As for Garrett, this feels harsh but it’s absolutely justified. I know fans don’t want to hear that right now, and that makes sense. Garrett is one of the most popular players on the team and he’s a very likable guy.

The problem is, he’s had a couple of other instances including a run-in with Delanie Walker in Week 1 where he punched him after the whistle. That wasn’t egregious but likely was discussed as it shows that his temper has gotten the best of him on the field in the past.

But heck, let’s throw that one out. Even looking at this incident alone, Garrett crossed a line by swinging the helmet as a weapon. If the NFL didn’t do something drastic, they could never again claim they give a darn about player safety.

And yes, the fact this happened on prime time television didn’t help Garrett. That meant more eyes were on the play and more people were going to be outraged over the incident.

As for the Browns, this should serve as a huge wake up call. They’ve displayed a lack of discipline ever since Freddie Kitchens took over as head coach — and it’s not just on the field.

Jermaine Whitehead was released after threatening a member of the media a couple of weeks ago and Antonio Callaway was just waived ahead of a second suspension of the year for substance abuse violations.

So yes, Garrett’s suspension seems harsh but it’s justified. The league wants everyone to know this is intolerable. And the Browns themselves could use some discipline, even if it has to come from outside the organization.