When appeals officer James Thrash upheld all portions of Myles Garrett’s suspension on Thursday, one key aspect of the indefinite ban was the meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell prior to reinstatement.
The league will use that meeting to determine how long, if at all, Garrett’s suspension will affect the Cleveland Browns‘ 2020 campaign.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport added Friday that if after the meeting with the Commissioner’s office there is additional discipline that Garrett contests, Thrash reserves the right to rule on that additional discipline at the time.
Basically, the dance we went through this week could be reignited in the 2020 offseason if after the meeting Goodell believes Garrett’s actions warrant further discipline.
Garrett was suspended for the duration of the 2019 campaign, and any potential playoff games, and fined $45,623, per Rapoport for ripping the helmet off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and hitting him in the head with it.
Whether that suspension leaks into 2020 will be determined after Garrett’s pivotal meeting with Goodell.