Steelers Head of PR Disputes Rumors Myles Garrett Jerseys Aren't Allowed at Heinz Field This Weekend
By Scott Rogust
The first meeting this season between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns ended in absolute chaos when Myles Garrett struck quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with his own helmet. With Round 2 taking place this Sunday at Heinz Field, reports began circulating that no fan wearing a Garrett jersey would be permitted entry into the stadium.
Steelers head of communications, Burt Lauten, took to Twitter on Tuesday night to vehemently deny the previous reports.
A source close to the situation (me) confirmed these reports are absolutely false. https://t.co/dSaRGzwMgN
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) November 26, 2019
The aforementioned report came from Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan, who said Heinz Field will "be like the Roman Colosseum."
Browns fans expressed their support for Garrett during this past Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. Individuals inside the FirstEnergy Stadium wore shirts that read "Free Garrett" and "Pittsburgh Started It."
Most notably, some Browns fans were hitting a Mason Rudolph piñata with a Steelers helmet, mocking the on-field incident.
The #Steelers say a report 'is absolutely false' that they might ban #Browns Myles Garrett jerseys and other pro-Garrett paraphernalia at Heinz Field on Sunday https://t.co/zq3dx0bzFC
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 27, 2019
The Week 13 matchup will be different than their previous meeting. Garrett is suspended indefinitely, knocking him out for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Rudolph was benched by head coach Mike Tomlin in favor of rookie Devlin Hodges.
The atmosphere will no doubt be contentious in the Steel City, and Heinz Field security are prepared for any disruptions that could occur during the game, as they are every week.