Remember way back in 2019 when Myles Garrett swinging a helmet was the biggest story in the world?

It’s been almost a year since Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett ripped off the helmet of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and began to clobber him with it into the turf. Garrett, Steelers Maurkice Pouncey, and Browns David DeCastro were all ejected.

Garrett’s hit on Rudolph came with less than 10 seconds left in the game, and it caused a media frenzy.

Sunday will be the first time the Steelers will face the Browns with Garrett active since the incident. Let us all never forget that, while Garrett’s repulsive behavior was unexpected, the event began a reflective analysis about how crappy 2019 was going (Little did we know…).

It all seems nostalgic now. We were eagerly waiting for 2020 to arrive, thinking, “2020 HAS to be better.” Meanwhile now we know that everyone would happily time travel back to 2019.

2020 has been terrible — for sooooo many reasons. The pandemic, racial unrest, hurricanes and fires resulting from climate change, and a slew of other issues pushing us to think the apocalypse is actually approaching.

And somehow, we have managed to stuff sports into all of this as a “distraction.”

The details that emerged after Garrett’s hit were pretty telling. Garrett said before he ripped off Rudolph’s helmet, he was called the “N” word by Rudolph.

However, Garrett was suspended indefinitely and did not play in the Browns remaining six games, including another matchup against their divisional rival.

Rudolph and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin denied the allegation about the racial slur.

Let’s just hope 2021 doesn’t make us nostalgic for 2020.