Hard-nosed, smash mouth, violent.
All those words can describe former Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison. Steelers’ Hall of Honor Class of 2023 member can be used, too.
Harrison, along with defensive end Aaron Smith, offensive lineman Gerry Mullins and center Ray Mansfield, will be inducted into the Steelers’ Hall of Honor at halftime of the Oct. 29 game at Acrisure Stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars. For Harrison, it’s a proud moment as it says that he was able to meet and uphold the standard of what it means to be a Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker.
Appearing on the “Not Just Football w/ Cam Heyward” podcast Wednesday morning, Harrison spoke glowingly of what the honor means to him.
“That’s a tremendous honor. That’s the thing that I feel is one of things I wanted to be able to step into, because of the organization I played for. I wanted to be in line with those guys that say, ‘You know what? When James Harrison was in there, the standard of what a Steelers linebacker is was upheld,'” Harrison told Heyward, according to video via the NFL on ESPN YouTube page. “I’m able to say from being put into this group and being given this honor, I was able to do that.”
For Harrison, it is a tremendous honor.
He is quite the developmental story for the Steelers — and for the NFL — too.
Harrison, who entered the NFL in 2002 as an undrafted free agent out of Kent State, played 14 seasons with the team and held the Steelers’ team record with 80.5 career sacks before T.J. Watt broke the record with a sack of Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson in Week Two with Harrison in attendance.
Harrison ended his Hall of Fame-worthy career with 811 regular-season tackles, 84.5 sacks, 34 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, eight interceptions and one defensive touchdown. His career included time spent with two other teams, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the New England Patriots.
Harrison was named the 2008 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year after finishing that season with 16 sacks, a team record at the time. He was voted first-team Associated Press All-Pro twice during his career and was named a Pro Bowl selection five consecutive years (2007-11) Harrison was also twice voted the Steelers’ team MVP (2007-08).
Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII remains a top NFL play of all time. He retired as a two-time Super Bowl champion and played in four Super Bowls in total.
Every time he stepped onto the field with the Steelers, he met — and upheld — that standard. He was a violent defender, one who helped usher in an era of emphasis on player safety, which unfairly made him the target of the NFL for violent hits. He was a tone-setter though, one that the Steelers followed into battle each and every week.
With names like Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Greg Lloyd, Andy Russell, and Kevin Greene before him, Harrison certainly met the standard of what it means to be a Steelers linebacker. He’s now that example for future generations, too, which is what he aimed to become during his time in Pittsburgh.
