Mason Rudolph, Myles Garrett Shook Hands after Steelers Loss to Browns

PITTSBURGH — After the Cleveland Browns had secured a 24-22 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium, amid the Browns and their 12,000-or-so fans in attendance celebrating the team’s first playoff berth in 18 years, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sought out Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Garrett and Rudolph had not faced one another on a football field since the 2019 meeting between the teams in Cleveland, which ended with Garrett beating Rudolph with is own helmet, accusing Rudolph of using racist language and getting suspended for the rest of the season.

Rudolph, who was elevated to the starting roster after Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was held out of the game, said leading up to his first start of the season that he and Garrett had not spoken since the incident.

Onward And Upward. pic.twitter.com/a4RE6qVbqT

— Mason Rudolph (@Rudolph2Mason) January 3, 2021

After the game, Garrett raced about 40 yards to catch Rudolph before he left the field. The two shook hands, and Rudolph described a brief exchange:

“Myles came over and said ‘good game’ postgame and that’s all it was,” Rudolph said “I told him ‘good luck.’ A lot of respect for him.”

#Browns Myles Garrett approached Mason Rudolph after the game and said good game pic.twitter.com/U1mZGq1Spk

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 3, 2021

With Roethlisberger expected to return to the Pittsburgh starting lineup for the Wild Card weekend rematch between the team, Sunday is probably the last chance for a while the two will have to get together.

The Steelers were largely able to keep Garrett and the rest of the Browns away from Rudolph, who was sacked just once in the game.