Steelers' Cam Heyward Recalls Challenging Larry Ogunjobi To A Big Fight "See Me After The Game" In Cleveland

If you ask any Pittsburgh Steelers or Cleveland Browns fan what the ultimate rivalry moment was for them, they are likely to point to "Helmetgate." That infamous fight featured Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph and Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. It has been almost exactly four years since it occurred and feelings are not any less raw on either side. Steelers fans have heard the story told by multiple players, but never have we heard from someone who switched sides and is now one of the good guys, until now.

Recently Steelers defensive end Larry Ogunjobi appeared on his teammate Cam Heyward's podcast, Not Just Football With Cam Heyward. Ogunjobi has done a bit of a tour of the AFC North. He was drafted by the Browns and made a stop with the Cincinnati Bengals before coming to Pittsburgh. He was a member of the Browns when the fight occurred and Heyward asked him to share what he saw from the other side. 

Heyward said that a lot of people don't realize that he was about to go to blows with Ogunjobi during the confrontation. They agreed it is funny how things work out because now they are teammates and friends.  

"It's a Thursday night game, I'm balling, I got myself a sack. People don't understand that the Steelers were like the big brothers of the AFC, especially my first four years. Everybody's hyped, the energy is just there and it's primetime," recounted Ogunjobi.

Ogunjobi said that there were :07 seconds left on the clock and after his sack celebration, it was clear the Browns would win. He said all he could think about was going home to have a good time, but that didn't happen.

"They [the Steelers] were in a screen the last play of the game. So I'm running down the field, I'm thinking the game's over. All of a sudden I heard the crowd like 'Ooooohhhhh' and all that kind of stuff. I see a scuffle and then I see a helmet like BOOM. I'm thinking Mason hit Myles the whole time. I run down there, I shove Mason, I'm like, 'Man that's for you doing that!'''

He admits now that he didn't have a clear view of what really happened and in all of the confusion, no one took the time to explain it. Ogunjobi said it all seemed logical to him - he saw a helmet fly and Rudolph wasn't wearing a helmet. 

"Half of us get ejected, Cam comes up like, 'Man you want to go?' I'm like, 'What's up?' Cam's like, 'See me after the game.' They were taking us off the field, the crowd is going crazy. I'm just standing up for my teammate. I get to the locker room and do the interview and this is funny. I get to the little friends and family area and my dad looks at me, he's like, 'Son, why?'"

Now Ogunjobi said watching it back, he obviously sees it a bit differently. He maintains that he was just doing what a good teammate does, you stand up for one another. 

Heyward said that Ogunjobi prioritized making things right when he was signed with the Steelers. He said that before coming to practice for the first time, he went on a bit of an "apology tour."

"It's how I knew this is the type of person you are, you were thinking about signing with the Steelers and we were talking and you're like, 'Bro, I just want to clear the air.' I could care less about that now, it's behind me," shared Heyward.

The Steelers and the Browns rivalry hasn't gotten any less heated, it remains one of the most passionate rivalries in football. This has become particularly true since the Steelers have struggled a bit over the past few seasons and the Browns have improved. 

Several Steelers And Browns Got The Wrath Of The NFL

The fight began after Garrett sacked Rudolph. The two got into a bit of a scuffle and then they jumped to their feet. They began a heated argument and Garrett tore Rudolph's helmet off. He then slammed it down on the top of his head. Immediately, every Steelers player came to his defense. 

Pittsburgh's players pushed Garrett to the ground and began kicking and punching him. Of course, Browns players came to help their best player. Garrett later said he hit Rudolph because he called him a racial slur. Rudolph vehemently denies that and no one in the vicinity heard him make any bigoted remarks to Garrett.  

The Browns won that game 21-7, but both teams incurred punishments for the NFL. There were 33 fines meted out by the NFL to the players involved. For his part, Garrett was suspended for the rest of the season.

The NFL can be a bit of a small world, you never know when you might run into someone from the "other side" in the future. In the case of Ogunjobi, he finally feels like he is home, he loves Pittsburgh and hopes to finish out his career here. 

What do you think about Ogunjob's comments? Does it add perspective to hear it from the other side? Click to comment below. 

#SteelerNation