Mason Rudolph Praises Mike Tomlin After Interview on Racial Slur Accusation

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph called his head coach a "leader of men" after Mike Tomlin defended the player amid renewed allegations he directed a racial slur at Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. 

Tomlin gave an interview Monday on ESPN's First Take defending Rudolph:

Garrett was reinstated from his indefinite suspension last week, a punishment he received for grabbing Rudolph's helmet and hitting him in the head with it. The Browns star gave an interview to Mina Kimes for ESPN's Outside the Lines and said Rudolph had used the N-word before the players began to brawl:

Rudolph responded on Twitter calling Garrett's comments "1000% False" and a "Bold-Faced Lie."

ESPN's Josina Anderson and Adam Schefter reported last November that Garrett first made the accusation during his appeal hearing with the NFL. The league was unable to find any evidence corroborating the allegation, and Rudolph's legal representatives issued a statement denying the use of a slur.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy also told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio the league was unable to find an eyewitness who also heard the slur: "We checked with the officiating crew, including the ref who was on top of the play and the ensuing aftermath. No player on either team came forward to say they heard him say it on the field. There was also no indication of any players saying they heard him say it in their postgame comments."

Rudolph's lawyers issued a new statement calling Garrett's OTL interview "defamatory" and saying he was now "exposed to legal liability."

With Garrett's reinstatement, he'll be eligible to suit up for the Browns when they meet the Steelers again on the field.