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Primanti Bros. to Steelers' suspended Pouncey: Be our bouncer, protect 'biggest asset in The Strip' | TribLIVE.com
Allegheny

Primanti Bros. to Steelers' suspended Pouncey: Be our bouncer, protect 'biggest asset in The Strip'

Natasha Lindstrom
Natasha Lindstrom
1950745_web1_1945857-419c438811a844559fdb3caa7872db64
AP Photo | David Richard
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) hits Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) with a helmet during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, in Cleveland.

Primanti Bros. restaurant made a playful proposal Friday afternoon to Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey: Come be our bouncer and defend our sammiches n’at.

“We think protecting your biggest asset is the right thing to do,” Primanti Bros. wrote in a Twitter post shortly before 3 p.m. Friday, a few hours after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended the Steelers center for three games for his role in the brawl that broke out at the end of Thursday’s game in Cleveland. “We’ve got a position open for you to protect our biggest asset in The Strip for the next few weeks, what do you say?”

Pouncey responded to the famous sandwich shop based in Pittsburgh’s Strip District neighborhood via Twitter a few hours later, with a retort capped off by laughing and face-palm emojis: “What’s the pay looking like? Missing a few checks next couple weeks.”

“We probably can’t cover that fine!” Primanti Bros. Twitter replied, offering instead to discuss making a donation to Team Pouncey Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to support underprivileged children via mentorships, after-school programs, summer camps and youth football and cheerleading camps.

A Primanti Bros. spokesperson could not immediately be reached.

In the Thursday night game’s final seconds, Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett tackled Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph after a completion, and the two players tussled on the ground. Rudolph grabbed at Garrett’s helmet before Garrett ripped off Rudolph’s helmet. As Rudolph approached Garrett, the defensive lineman swung the helmet, hitting Rudolph in the head. Rudolph said he was not injured by the blow.

Pouncey punched and kicked Garrett after Garrett swung Rudolph’s helmet at the Steelers quarterback’s unprotected head.

Garrett was suspended indefinitely — at least through the rest of the regular and postseason. Browns defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi was suspended one game for shoving Rudolph to the ground during the melee. All three players and the teams were fined.

Pouncey said earlier in the day that he was sticking up for his teammate and would accept any punishment doled out by the NFL.

“I was in protection mode,” Pouncey said.

RELATED: No criminal charges filed for Garrett’s helmet hit on Rudolph in Steelers-Browns brawl

Twitter fans had much to say about Primanti Bros. showing support for Pouncey.

Here are a few reactions:

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Categories: Local | Allegheny
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