SAINT PAUL, Minn. — James Harrison arrived Monday afternoon with the rest of his New England Patriots teammates and said the feeling of being in another Super Bowl hasn’t changed for him at age 39.
Even if it is with a new team, the archrival of those Steelers teams that made the Super Bowl three times, winning twice with him as a vital piece of their defense.
“Anytime you’re in the Super Bowl it’s a surreal feeling,” Harrison said Monday at media night. “Doesn’t matter if you’re with the New England Patriots or the Cleveland Browns.”
Harrison went on to talk in more detail about his departure from the Steelers when they abruptly cut him Dec. 23 — their most shocking cut since they released Franco Harris in 1984. He talked about the promises they made him last year and his reaction to denigrating remarks from some teammates after he signed with the Patriots Dec. 26.
“I was just told I’d get around 20, 25 percent of the snaps,’’ Harrison said of what his Steelers coaches promised him for the 2017 season.
Instead, he got just 40 snaps total, often not even suited up. He asked three times to be traded before Mike Tomlin finally gave in. He was involved in 89 defensive plays in just his three games with the Patriots, two in the playoffs. He had two sacks in his first game and a couple of pressures on Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles in the AFC championship.
Harrison said the Patriots promised him more playing time and they fulfilled that. Now he can pocket his third ring after leaving a trail of criticism from his former teammates in the Steelers locker room after he signed with New England. They claimed he fell asleep at meetings in a recliner and did little to help tutor their young outside linebackers.
“They were talking from emotions, you know, they hurt,” Harrison said of his ex-teammates in Pittsburgh. “You aren’t surprised when someone’s talking from emotions about being hurt.”
Did he really sleep in meetings?
“Who hasn’t fell asleep at a meeting,’’ Harrison replied.
In a recliner?
“We don’t have recliners so it’s not possible.”
He added that he helps his new teammates just as he did his former ones.
“I’m doing no more or no less than what I had over my career. If someone has questions or wants some information, I’m open. I’m willing to give it.”
Harrison detested the Patriots in his time with the Steelers, and they helped keep him out of two more Super Bowls by beating them in AFC championships when he was there.
“You dislike anybody you lose against. There was a time I disliked Cleveland; they beat us once or twice when I was back in Pittsburgh.”
After a month in New England, he has concluded differently.
“Those guys are good guys. I don’t know what you all perceived them as but they’re no different than any other guys I’ve been on teams with.”
And Bill Belichick?
“Good guy. Very good [to me].” Harrison smiled. “Real talkative guy, actually.”
Might he have helped the Steelers reach this point had they kept him and used him as often in their playoff game as the Patriots did?
“I don’t know, anything’s possible.”
Harrison pulled off the longest play in Super Bowl history, a 100-yard touchdown on an interception return to help them beat the Arizona Cardinals 10 years ago.
Does he still have that kind of play in him?
“If need be, I’d hope so. We’ll see. The legs still feel good. Yeah, that was a while ago. I’m still doing all right.”
He said he would like to play another season at age 40, maybe even two, although he has no idea where that might be.
The Patriots were the only team to make him an offer after the Steelers released him, and when he signed in New England it brought a firestorm of criticism, support and anger in the Steelers locker room and throughout their fandom.
Harrison says he will continue to live in Pittsburgh and is not concerned about his legacy there.
“I don’t know. Ask ah, Franco, I guess.”
Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com and Twitter @EdBouchette.
First Published: January 30, 2018, 2:42 a.m.
