Myles Garrett will serve as a team captain Sunday, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski announced Friday.
Stefanski said it had nothing to do with last year’s incident between Garrett and Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph. Instead, the Browns defensive end has earned the right to wear the “C” in the team’s biggest game in years.
“It’s a big game, so I’m sending the big guy out there,” Stefanski said. “But it is in no way a callback to anything previously, so I just want to make sure that is clear.”
Stefanski reiterated he didn’t want it to be “misconstrued.”
“Myles has been a great leader for this team,” Stefanski said. “He does in his actions. He does it with his words. He’s just an important part of what we’re trying to get done. He understands I’m counting on him.”
Both teams have said this week they are past last year’s Week 11 incident when Garrett pulled off Rudolph’s helmet and swung it at the quarterback’s head. Garrett served a six-game suspension.
Rudolph said Friday that Garrett has not reached out to him since the brawl, but added he has “a lot of respect for Myles.”