Before Nov. 14, 2019 the two were routine AFC North opponents with no widely reported personal feud; their defining confrontation occurred at FirstEnergy Stadium on Nov. 14, 2019. With 0:08 remaining, Myles Garrett grabbed Mason Rudolph after a third-down play, removed Rudolph's helmet and struck Rudolph in the head with the helmet; Garrett was ejected and the Browns issued an apology the next day [5][4][8]. The NFL suspended Garrett indefinitely and fined multiple players and clubs as part of its disciplinary response; appeals officer James Thrash later heard Garrett's appeal [5][4][8]. According to reporting, during that appeals hearing Garrett alleged Rudolph directed a racial slur at him immediately before the helmet swing; that allegation was first reported publicly by ESPN's account of the appeal [2][5]. The NFL subsequently announced on Nov. 21, 2019 that its investigation 'found no evidence' to support the slur allegation [1]. These immediate events — the physical altercation, team apologies and the league's rapid disciplinary process — established the factual foundation and public context for the longer dispute that followed [4][5][1]. Garrett issued a public apology on Nov. 15, 2019 acknowledging he 'made a terrible mistake' and the Browns' ownership apologized to Mason Rudolph and the Steelers [4]. The appeals officer ultimately upheld the discipline against Garrett, keeping the suspension in place while the league pursued its investigation into the alleged slur [5].
As of reporting through March 2025, there is no public record of Mason Rudolph filing a civil lawsuit against Myles Garrett related to the slur allegation; media coverage and team announcements record only public denials and legal warnings by Rudolph's representatives, not a filed complaint [10][6][7]. Both players continued in the NFL: Garrett was reinstated Feb. 12, 2020 and remained with the Browns, signing a record extension reported in March 2025; Rudolph spent 2024 with the Tennessee Titans and was reported to return to the Steelers in 2025 [8][9][10]. Publicly, the dispute is dormant—no new allegations, no public reconciliation and no court filings are documented in the cited reporting—and the central factual disagreement (Garrett's assertion vs. the NFL's 'no evidence' finding) remains unresolved in the public record [1][3][10].
Garrett frames his helmet swing as a reaction to a verbal provocation he says occurred during the Nov. 14, 2019 play; he later apologized for the physical act while maintaining his account of hearing a racial slur [4][3].
Rudolph and his camp deny the slur allegation emphatically, characterize Garrett's repetition of the claim as false, and signal readiness to protect Rudolph's reputation via legal channels [6][7][1].
The NFL treated the helmet swing as clear on-field misconduct warranting major discipline, investigated the slur allegation and publicly stated it found no corroborating evidence; both teams issued immediate statements addressing conduct and reputation [5][1][4].
As of March 2025 reporting, the dispute is dormant in public: both players continued their NFL careers and there is no public record of a civil suit by Mason Rudolph related to the slur allegation [10][9][7].
The public dispute began with the Nov. 14, 2019 on-field altercation when Garrett removed Rudolph's helmet and struck him, an act Garrett later said was precipitated by a slur he alleged Rudolph used; the allegation was first reported in appeals coverage and later repeated on ESPN [5][2][3].
On Nov. 14, 2019 Garrett removed Rudolph's helmet and struck him, earning an ejection and an indefinite NFL suspension; during appeals Garrett alleged Rudolph used a racial slur and later restated that claim on Feb. 14, 2020, while the NFL said it 'found no evidence' to corroborate the slur allegation [5][4][3][1].
The NFL's public investigatory statement on Nov. 21, 2019 said it 'found no evidence' that Rudolph used a racial slur; Garrett has maintained his recollection, while Rudolph has publicly denied the claim—so the competing public accounts remain unresolved in the record [1][3][6].
The NFL imposed an indefinite suspension on Myles Garrett following the Nov. 14, 2019 incident; appeals officer James Thrash later upheld the discipline and the league required Garrett to meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell before reinstatement, which occurred Feb. 12, 2020 [5][8].
Yes. On Nov. 15, 2019 Garrett issued an apology acknowledging he 'made a terrible mistake' and apologized to Mason Rudolph, his teammates, the Browns organization, fans and the NFL [4].
Rudolph's representatives warned of legal exposure after Garrett's Feb. 14, 2020 ESPN interview and legal analysts discussed the difficulty of such a suit for a public figure, but reporting through March 2025 shows no public civil lawsuit filed by Rudolph related to the allegation [6][7][10].
The Cleveland Browns and their owners issued apologies to Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers the day after the incident, and the NFL handled discipline; the Steelers' staff publicly supported Rudolph amid denials of the slur allegation [4][5][6].