Helmetgate in Context: Put the damn Rope Away and Sober Up.

Steeler writer John Steigerwald wrote a rarely objective, unemotional article on Helmetgate.

Like me, John stipulates that at least a season-long suspension for Garrett is justified, but tries to correct a bunch of bullshit people are saying to pile onto Trump Garrett:

John says that Garrett didn't fall on Rudolph, to begin with, which is why no flag was thrown.  Rudolph went nuts, trying to twist Garrett's helmet off as the two were on the ground.

Garrett did return the favor as they got up, but was backing up as DeCastro fronted for his quarterback (Garrett and DeCastro both looked pretty calm).

It wasn't until Pouncey came around DeCastro to get at Garrett, with a psychotic-looking Rudolph trying to get around him that Garrett lost it and swung the helmet.

Again (sigh) Garrett did wrong and should be punished.  But Mason Rudolph started it (and yes he did also kick Garrett in the cup), and Garrett didn't swing the helmet until he was getting mugged by 3 Steelers.

It's too bad he had that helmet in his hand, but this was a "Get the fk off me man!" act, and not a "I think I'll fracture this guy's skull" act.

Garrett did nothing to start this, and the next thing he knows he's getting bumb-rushed and yeah---he finally lost his damn mind.

Steigerwald wrote an excellent article, but check out the comments at the end.  I'm not saying that there aren't the same kinds of illiterate overly emotional idiots in Cleveland, but none of them refuted any of what John wrote.

They attacked him personally.  That's what ignorant people do in the face of EVIDENCE and LOGIC.

I won't waste your time with a link, but another article entitled "Mason Rudolph explains how melee started". It was a hit piece on Garrett.  Mason Rudolph is quoted in it as saying it started when Garrett hit him with his helmet.

Garbage, written by an idiot.

And note to Sheldon Richardson: You are correct that Rudolph should be punished.  However, Hodges is better than Rudolph is, so let's leave that alone.

Read This!  Like Steigerwald, several former players are trying to stave off the lynch-mobs as they put this ISOLATED incident in context.

The Trump Garrett lynch-mob will no doubt give Bradshaw, McGinest, Strahan, Howie Long etc the Steigerwald treatment.

What do they know, right?