Myles Garrett Says Hitting Mason Rudolph with Helmet Was 'Idiotic' and 'Foolish'

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with his helmet during the teams' Week 11 game was "idiotic."

Garrett didn't back down from his allegation that Rudolph sparked the brawl with a racial slur, but he told ESPN's Mina Kimes on Outside The Lines he's sorry for his actions.

"I apologize," Garrett said. "There's no need for that kind of violence. That was outside of the game of football and it was idiotic, foolish. It was childish on both parts, but it was childish of me and I apologize for attempting to injure him cause I would never, in my right mind, ever try to do something like that. I hope he's well."

Here's a look at the complete interview released Saturday:

Rudolph responded on social media after the Garrett interview was posted.

"1000% false. Bold-Faced lie," Rudolph wrote on Twitter. "I did not, have not, and would not utter a racial slur. This is a disgusting and reckless attempt to assassinate my character."

Younger & Associates, a law firm representing the Steelers quarterback, stated the Browns defender is "now exposed to legal liability" because of his "defamatory statement":

Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin also released a statement in support of Rudolph:

"I support Mason Rudolph not only because I know him, but also because I was on that field immediately following the altercation with Myles Garrett, and subsequently after the game. I interacted with a lot of people in the Cleveland Browns organization—players and coaches. If Mason said what Myles claimed, it would have come out during the many interactions I had with those in the Browns' organization. In my conversations, I had a lot of expressions of sorrow for what transpired. I received no indication of anything racial or anything of that nature in those interactions."

The NFL announced Wednesday it lifted the indefinite suspension handed down to Garrett after his actions in the mid-November game.

He'll be eligible to play at the start of the 2020 season, which will feature two meetings between the AFC North rival Browns and Steelers.