Myles Garrett suspended indefinitely by NFL for smashing Mason Rudolph over head with own helmet

A brawl broke out between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers during the closing stages of a feisty Thursday Night Football

Myles Garrett has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL after ripping the helmet off Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and hitting him over the head with it.

The Cleveland Browns defensive end will now miss the rest of the current season, including the play-offs, should his team advance that far.

Garrett will also meet with the commissioner’s office before being permitted to play again in 2020.

The suspension is the longest in NFL history for a single on-field incident. Garrett was also fined and will be without pay for the duration of his suspension.

The sum of the fine has not been released but will be in addition to his pay being docked; given there are six weeks remaining of the regular season and his base salary is $3.2m (£2.5m) this season, Garrett stands to lose a sum in the six-figure range.

An NFL statement read: ”Garrett violated unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct rules, as well as fighting, removing the helmet of an opponent and using the helmet as a weapon.”

The NFL also handed out suspensions to Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (one game) for shoving Rudolph in the back after Garrett had landed the powerful shot to the quarterback’s head with the helmet.

Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey, who jumped into Garrett and proceded to kick and punch him in defence of Rudolph, was suspended three games.

"What I did was foolish, and I shouldn't allow myself to slip like that," Garrett said in the aftermath. "That's out of character, but a situation like that where it's an emotional game, and I allowed myself to fall into those emotions with what happened."

Garrett smashed Rudolph over the head with his own helmet (AP)

Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam released a statement in the moments after the NFL's ruling.

"We are extremely disappointed in what transpired last evening at the end of our game," the Browns statement read. "There is no place for that in football and that is not reflective of the core values we strive for as an organization. We sincerely apologize to Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Myles Garrett has been a good teammate and member of our organization and community for the last three years but his actions last night were completely unacceptable. We understand the consequences from the league for his actions."