A major retirement in the world of Football took place as Linebacker, James Harrison has announced that his playing career is over.
Harrison went undrafted in 2002 after his College career at Kent State, but would be signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. It would be a struggle for him to stick on the team as he floated on and off the practice squad, and only saw one game that season in a Special Teams role.
The following year, Harrison would try his hand with the Baltimore Ravens and after being assigned to the Rhein Fire of the World Football League, he was again cut when he returned to Baltimore. Harrison would resign (for a fourth time) with the Pittsburgh Steelers though this time with different results. He would play 43 Games for the Steelers from 2004 to 2006, starting eight of them at Linebacker and performing well on Special Teams, though it would be in the following season that he would breakout and become a star.
Harrison would become the starting Right Outside Linebacker after the surprise release of Joey Porter and at the age of 29, would become a star in the National Football League. He would make his first of five consecutive Pro Bowls and in 2008 would be the Defensive Player of the Year, making him the first undrafted player to ever receive that honor. Harrison also is a two time Super Bowl winner, the second of which saw him set the record for the longest Interception Return (100 Yards) in Super Bowl History.
Twice a First Time All-Pro, James Harrison had a five year stretch where he was not just considered one of the best Linebackers, he was also considered the meanest and one of the most controversial. As the NFL pushed towards a safer environment, Harrison would become one of the most fined players in the League. He would openly criticize the NFL for cracking down on punishing hits and in an interview with Men’s Journal called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell “a crook and a liar” and that he hated him. Harrison has also openly publically criticized other NFL players, including his own Quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. In his personal life, Harrison was charged with Domestic Violence, an offence that the NFL now suspends a player for.
Controversy or not, five very strong years and not much else might make his Hall of Fame induction difficult. Still, anyone who once won the Defensive Player of the Year will garner a look, and we are very curious to see if the Steelers will honor him in the future.
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