Rudolph makes statement to reporters
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� On Thursday night, Mason Rudolph threw four interceptions in the Steelers无毛视频� 21-7 loss in Cleveland.
Very late in the game he became involved in a tussle that ended with Browns pass-rushing star Myles Garrett ripping off Rudolph无毛视频檚 helmet and crashing it down upon his head.
Garrett无毛视频檚 been suspended indefinitely, and Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, who responded to Garrett with punches and kicks, was suspended three games.
Rudolph was/is all right, but is taking a beating on social media. Many fans want him suspended and/or fined because as Garrett lay on top of him, Rudolph grabbed Garrett无毛视频檚 helmet.
The criticism of Rudolph continued with media speculation from ESPN无毛视频檚 Josina Anderson that Rudolph said something 无毛视频渆gregious无毛视频� and that he committed an act akin to sexual assault.
When proven wrong, the reporter deleted her tweets and apologized, but the league contemplates Rudolph无毛视频檚 punishment.
Rudolph made the following statement to Pittsburgh reporters on Wednesday:
无毛视频淭hursday night, to say the least, it was an unfortunate situation for everyone involved. I consider it a privilege, not a right, to be part of the NFL, to be part of a first-class organization, representing the Rooney family, the Pittsburgh Steelers. I fell short of that expectation last Thursday night in how I played. I did not do a good enough job in helping our team win the game. Looking back on the final play of the game 无毛视频� second-to-last play of the game 无毛视频� I fell short of the mark there, too. Should无毛视频檝e done a better job of keeping my cool in that situation.
无毛视频淚n retrospect I put Maurkice Pouncey 无毛视频� probably one of the best teammates I无毛视频檝e ever had 无毛视频� in a tough spot, as well as my teammates. The way I saw it, on the final play of the game, with the game in hand the way it was, it had been 无毛视频� we had already lost two of our players to targeting penalties. As I released the ball, I took a late shot. Did not agree with the way he then took me to the ground. My natural reaction was to get him off the top of me. Again, I should无毛视频檝e done a better job of handling that situation.
无毛视频淚 have no ill will towards Myles Garrett. Great respect for his abilities as a player. I know if Myles could go back he would无毛视频檝e handled the situation differently. As far as my involvement last week, there无毛视频檚 no acceptable excuse. Bottom line is I should无毛视频檝e done a better job keeping my composure in that situation. I fell short of what I believe it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler and member of the NFL.无毛视频�
Rudolph answered a few questions and that he didn无毛视频檛 say anything to Garrett 无毛视频渢o escalate it.无毛视频� He also appeared to have misinterpreted a question about grabbing the back of Garrett无毛视频檚 helmet and answered that he already had addressed the issue.
Pouncey无毛视频檚 awaiting a decision on his appeal of the suspension and wasn无毛视频檛 in the locker room following Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice. But another veteran lineman spoke about the media speculation.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 distasteful. It无毛视频檚 unprofessional. It无毛视频檚 all of those things,无毛视频� said Ramon Foster, the team无毛视频檚 union player rep. 无毛视频淚f you无毛视频檙e going to report something, be accurate. Don无毛视频檛 be the first one to do something. As someone who knows a little bit about the business, you无毛视频檝e got to be accurate because you control people无毛视频檚 narratives of what they think of players.无毛视频�
Should Rudolph be suspended?
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a fight. It happens all the time. There无毛视频檚 no basis to that,无毛视频� Foster said. 无毛视频淟ook at the history of fights. It无毛视频檚 been fines. There无毛视频檝e been no suspensions unless you got stomped in the face years back. Nobody无毛视频檚 been suspended. C无毛视频檓on now.无毛视频�
Should Pouncey无毛视频檚 suspension be reduced?
无毛视频淗istory shows it should only be one game, but we无毛视频檙e gonna support him either way.无毛视频�
FAST KERRITH SAYERS
With James Conner out with a recurring shoulder injury, the Steelers plucked running back Kerrith Whyte off the Chicago Bears无毛视频� practice squad and gave him No. 40.
It无毛视频檚 a number he couldn无毛视频檛 have worn in Chicago.
无毛视频淣o. Of course not,无毛视频� said Whyte. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 Gale Sayers无毛视频� number.无毛视频�
Whyte was a seventh-round draft pick by the Bears after backing up Buffalo Bills rookie starter Devin Singletary the past three seasons at Florida Atlantic. Whyte found a way to rush for 1,358 yards (5.9 ypc) with 227 (10.3 ypc) receiving yards and a 26.1 career average as a kickoff returner. He didn无毛视频檛 return a punt in college or this past preseason with the Bears. He did average 27.6 yards per kickoff return in the preseason, with a 103-yarder called back. He made the Bears roster, but was later put on the practice squad.
The Steelers had Whyte in for a draft visit last April, after he had wowed scouts at his pro day with a 4.36 40, a 42-inch vertical jump and an 11-0 broad jump.
Yesterday, Whyte impressed at his first practice with the Steelers.
无毛视频淒ude无毛视频檚 fast as (nnnn)!无毛视频� exclaimed lineman Zach Banner.
In fact, the 5-10, 204-pounder has the kind of speed of another former college backup, former Steelers speedster 无毛视频淔ast无毛视频� Willie Parker (5-10, 212).
无毛视频淚 remember him,无毛视频� Whyte said. 无毛视频淣umber 39, right?无毛视频�
Right. The young man knows his history.
无毛视频淚 DO know my history,无毛视频� he said with a laugh, and added that he was a Steelers fan growing up in the West Palm Beach area of Florida.
Whyte无毛视频檚 expected to return kickoffs immediately for the Steelers, and may run an occasional play as he learns the offense.
无毛视频淛ust like anything in life,无毛视频� Whyte said of his sudden transition. 无毛视频淵ou无毛视频檝e just got to attack with a positive attitude. Just keep working, learn the system, learn the blocking schemes, and the intention of the run. Just keep working and eventually you无毛视频檒l get it right, so I have a few days to get it right.无毛视频�
TUZAR无毛视频橲 BACK
Undrafted rookie outside linebacker Tuzar Skipper was the darling of the Pittsburgh preseason, when he led the Steelers with five sacks.
He made the final cut but was released a day before the opener. Skipper was claimed by his hometown New York Giants and played in six games. He recorded half a sack and recovered a fumble while playing 40 defensive snaps. He was released Oct. 22 and signed back to the Giants无毛视频� practice squad the next day.
The Steelers plucked him from the Giants on Tuesday and put DL L.T. Walton on injured reserve.
无毛视频淚t feels good coming back to where everything started,无毛视频� said Skipper. 无毛视频淗appy to be here and happy to keep it going.无毛视频�
Skipper said he was surprised when the Steelers released him in early September, 无毛视频渂ut then I was even happier coming back, knowing I was coming back, because I liked it here. The people were great, the fans are great, teammates are wonderful and the coaches are even better. Like I said, this is a good spot, a good place. It just ended a little early. But we无毛视频檙e back where we left off.无毛视频�
Players taken from other practice squads must remain on the new team无毛视频檚 roster for three weeks.
PRACTICE REPORT
WR Diontae Johnson (concussion) and OLB Ola Adeniyi (concussion) practiced but remain in the protocol. 无毛视频� CB Artie Burns (knee) and OLB Bud Dupree (arm) were limited. 无毛视频� WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion/knee), RB Conner (shoulder) and TE Nick Vannett (illness) were out. 无毛视频� Those with a day off (or appealing suspension) were ILB Mark Barron, Pouncey and TE Vance McDonald.