Myles Garrett has been named a captain for the Cleveland Browns ahead of their pivotal Week 17 showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Friday.
Garrett, who was suspended last season for hitting Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with a helmet, will be facing Rudolph for the first time since that incident as the backup pivot will be starting in the regular-season finale.
However, Stefanski says the decision to appoint Garrett as a captain has nothing to do with last season’s altercation.
Garrett said Friday he would have “no problem” speaking to Rudolph before the game, and Rudolph expressed a mutual feeling about the to talking ahead of the AFC North clash.
The Browns (10-5) could clinch their first post-season berth since 2002 in a variety of scenarios, though a win against a Steelers team that’s resting several starters having already clinched the AFC North title is the most straightforward of the bunch.
Cleveland will be missing some starters of their own due to positive COVID-19 tests, which closed their practice facility earlier this week. It reopened on Friday, two days before kickoff against Pittsburgh.
[relatedlinks]
9:24