Mason Rudolph will not avoid a penalty for his role in Thursday night's brawl between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Friday that the Steelers' QB will be fined by the NFL for actions on the field during the fracas, per a source informed of the situation.
The amount of the fine is still to be determined, Pelissero added.
It comes as no surprise that Rudolph would be punished in some fashion after the NFL handed down unprecedented penalties stemming from the brawl. The league suspended Browns DE Myles Garrett indefinitely for using Rudolph's helmet to hit the QB in the head. Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey was suspended three games. Cleveland defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended one game. All are subject to appeal. Both the Steelers and Browns were each also fined $250,000.
The fight started after Garrett took down Rudolph after a short pass with eight seconds left in the game. On the ground, Rudolph then grabbed at the pass-rusher's helmet, feeding the fire. With teammates coming over to break up the scuffle, Garrett ripped Rudolph's helmet off as the two rose from the turf. As Steelers offensive linemen restrained Garrett, the hatless QB returned to the fray, where he was struck with his own helmet in the skull.
Rudolph's agent, Tim Younger, suggested late Thursday night in a tweet that the quarterback's team could pursue legal action against Garrett for hitting Rudolph with a helmet, saying, "The matter will be reviewed thoroughly."
However, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday evening, per a source, that Rudolph won't take legal action against Garrett, as he considers the incident "exclusively an NFL matter."
While the quarterback avoided a suspension, money will be taken out of Rudolph's pocket for his role in the fight. Given the harsh punishments the league handed out Friday, the fine could be hefty.
