Report: Browns' Myles Garrett Cites Antonio Smith's Ban in NFL Suspension Appeal

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett met with the NFL on Wednesday to appeal his indefinite suspension and reportedly cited the punishment the league handed to former Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith in 2013 after he swung a helmet at Richie Incognito in a preseason game, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.

Smith was suspended for two preseason games and a regular-season game for ripping off the helmet of the-then Miami Dolphin offensive lineman and swinging it at him.

Per that report, Garrett argued that a suspension for the remaining six games of the regular season was "excessive under the precedent established by Smith's suspension." Additionally, "Garrett and the NFLPA also argued that an indefinite suspension is not permitted under the league's collective bargaining agreement."

One factor the NFL might cite if it upholds the indefinite suspension is that Smith appeared to narrowly miss Incognito with his helmet swing, while Garrett clearly struck Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head late in Cleveland's 21-7 win on Thursday night. 

And the optics are also different. Smith's altercation occurred during a preseason game. Garrett's came during a prime-time, nationally televised game and became the lead story in all of sports after it occurred. He also swung his helmet at a quarterback, the position the NFL has gone to great lengths to protect. 

All that perhaps shouldn't factor into his suspension—which the NFL deemed indefinite with a minimum of lasting the remainder of the regular season and postseason—but they might nonetheless. 

Garrett wasn't the only player given a suspension in the aftermath of the fight between the teams. Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended one game for pushing Rudolph to the ground, while Steelers offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey was suspended three games for punching and kicking Garrett in the head while he was on the ground. 

Pouncey is also appealing his suspension.

As for Rudolph, he was not suspended but is expected to be fined by the league. He expressed regret on Wednesday for his role in the fight between the teams:

"I have no ill will towards Myles Garrett. Great respect for his ability as a player. And I know that if Myles could go back, he would handled the situation differently. As for my involvement last week, there's no acceptable excuse. The bottom line is I should've done a better job keeping my composure in that situation and [not] fall short of what I believe it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler and a member of the NFL."