The fans hate each other, the players outside of maybe Myles Garrett and Mason Rudolph, not very likely, there was not intent to injure there, the Steelers couldn't tackle a running back if their lives depended on it that game and seemingly every game
The rivalry is Baltimore and the Steelers, the Browns are like saying Youngstown St is a rival to Ohio St
You are confusing presumption vs actual fact. Sure, if there were a criminal proceeding, someone just has to not admit in his testimony and "get away with it". That doesn't prove non malice, it just means the system can't activate because it would be too risky in general for the legal system to operate like that all that time(too easy to shut down dissidents). But that is merely a practical reason to not hold someone liable, not because of the
actual facts.
Even piles are not just guys laying on top of each other. Pat Mcafee got in one and said someone was trying to bend his fingers. This is game with high testosterone individuals in both the player and coaching ranks, spending countless hours basically simulating "war over a pigskin ball". Altruism is mostly a facade for an uber-competitive violent sport and tournament for that sport. That's why football season can last only 17 weeks(plus playoffs) but break down most bodies before they hit even 30 yrs old while hockey players often can hit 33 years before decline.
This is a sport where players consent to hitting each other at full force.
It is indeterminate what was going on in Fitzpatrick's mind, but it would be beyond foolish to just assume not a flicker of malice occured in actuality.
That he wouldn't testify to his own malice is merely just the exploitation of the fact that thoughts are only known to the individual who thinks them.