OWINGS MILLS — The NFL didn’t find any evidence that the Cleveland Browns’ defense intentionally gouged the eyes of Baltimore Ravens star running back Willis McGahee in the wake of the Ravens filing a complaint following a 28-10 win Sunday, according to a league official.
McGahee, whose eye remains swollen, was cut on his right eyelid and poked in his left eye. He was forced out of the game twice.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh sent tapes to the league office earlier this week, requesting that two separate incidents be reviewed.
However, league spokesman Corry Rush said the NFL has determined that there was no intentional effort to injure McGahee.
“There is no evidence,” Rush said in an e-mail to a 24×7 reporter.
Harbaugh was adamant that the Browns went after McGahee, though.
“It’s on the tape,” Harbaugh said Wednesday. “There were two incidents, two different guys.”
Harbaugh declined to identify the Cleveland players under scrutiny.
“I don’t think we should say,” Harbaugh said. “I wouldn’t want to comment on it, but you can see it on the tape.”
Following a seven-yard run down to the Browns’ 1-yard line, McGahee was bleeding from the right eyelid following a tackle by Cleveland middle linebacker Andra Davis.
It looked like Davis got his hand jammed inside McGahee’s facemask, which is covered by a protective visor, as he was being blocked to the ground by offensive tackle Jared Gaither.
McGahee had blood dripping down his face as he went to the sidelines for treatment. He has been limited in practice all week heading into Monday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
McGahee hasn’t spoken to reporters since the episode, but has been seen in the locker room wearing sunglasses.
“It still looks pretty bad to me,” Harbaugh said. “If you guys saw him in there, that thing is swollen up badly.
“As long as he can see, he’ll play. But if he can’t see, he’s not going to be able to play. So, we’ll try to get that swelling down.”
Browns coach Romeo Crennel said he was unaware that the Ravens had made an official inquiry.
“I have no knowledge of that,” Crennel told Cleveland reporters. “I hadn’t heard anything.”
Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.
