Browns HC Kitchens: 'Myles Garrett's a Good Person ... I'm Going to Support Him'

Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens stands by Myles Garrett as the defensive end faces an indefinite suspension for hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with his own helmet near the end of Thursday's 21-7 victory.

"Myles Garrett's a good person," Kitchens said Monday (around the 6:45 mark), per ESPN's Jake Trotter. "We're not going to pile on Myles. He had a bad lapse in judgment, and that's it. I'm still a Myles fan, and I'm going to support him. Our organization is going to support him, his teammates, coaching staff will support him."

On Friday, the NFL suspended Garrett for at least the remainder of the 2019 regular season and postseason. The 2017 No. 1 overall pick is appealing the indefinite ban, with a hearing scheduled for Wednesday. 

In the immediate aftermath of the on-field brawl, Kitchens told reporters during his postgame press conference he was "embarrassed" by Garrett's actions and noted that type of behavior was "unacceptable":

He echoed similar sentiments Monday.

"There's no excuse for that to happen on a football field," Kitchens said. "I know that. Myles knows that. All the players in the locker room know that. That's it. There's no excuse. But, in saying that, we're going to support Myles Garrett going forward in any way that he needs support."

Garrett has now found himself in trouble with the league on a number of occasions in 2019. He was fined $10,527 for striking Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker in the helmet in Week 1, and he received $42,112 worth of fines for a pair of hits against the New York Jets in Week 2, one of which resulted in a season-ending ankle injury for Jets quarterback Trevor Siemian.

Though he has been disciplined multiple times this season, the 23-year-old Browns star said his actions against Rudolph were "out of character":

Whether or not he steps onto a football field again in 2019, Garrett has his coach's support.