Former Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker, James Harrison doesn't think he should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but that's not stopping others from trying to make the case for him. The fearsome force who played for the Steelers for 14 seasons, along with longtime teammate Hines Ward, is a semifinalist for the second straight year to potentially earn a bust in Canton. Former 2x Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger firmly believes that Harrison does deserve to have his name called in February when the 2024 class is chosen.
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Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison was well known for his hard hits and his intense stare.
Roethlisberger jumped on the 102.5 WDVE morning show with Billy Gardell and laid out his case for why he believes Harrison should be a lock. He said that the interception Harrison made on Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII is a big reason why.
"He should get in no doubt about it. The Super Bowl play. Iconic. Just put a picture of him running the ball back behind his bust and he's in."
There are many factors the selection committee has to weigh when trying to decide who gets into the Hall. Longevity is one, and career numbers are another one, but having one of the most iconic plays in league history has got to count for something.
Roethlisberger said that as an offensive player on the sidelines, he hasn't seen very many players that can change the game like Harrison did, though he did say that current Steeler TJ Watt is showing him that. He's also grateful that outside of two games in 2013 when Harrison was a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, he got to watch Harrison ply his trade rushing the passer in a Steelers uniform.
"Any third down, anytime that guy dropped back to pass, you're thinking we might get the ball," Roethlisberger explained about Harrison. "Because he's either making the guy throw it fast, or he's hitting him so hard, he loses his head or the ball."
Harrison held the Steelers' all-time sack record until Week 2 of 2023 when a certain fellow named Watt passed him by. He's a two-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Pro Bowler, and a three-time All-Pro. In just his second season as a full-time starter in 2008, Harrison took the league by storm. He forced a league-high seven forced fumbles to go with 16 sacks. He won the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award and finished fourth in Most Valuable Player voting. The next two seasons weren't quite as dominant, but he registered at least five forced fumbles and 10 sacks.
Steelers' Roethlisberger Was Even Afraid Of Harrison
Harrison was an incredibly menacing force on the football field. His bone-crushing hits earned him a reputation for being one of the toughest players to face in the league. The Steelers knew that and would send him after the opposing team's best players to try to intimidate them, or just simply knock them out.
Associated Press
Steelers' James Harrison (#92) hits Cleveland Browns' Mohamed Massaquoi (#11) in 2010.
Roethlisberger said that Harrison's name has often come up when he's talking to fellow signal-callers who had to face the menace they called "Deebo," and there's a theme that pops up.
"I have talked to many quarterbacks that were scared to death of him. I was scared to death of him and he was on my team."
Roethlisberger said that he's really like a teddy bear in how he acts off the field with his teammates, but that intimidation factor was also very real. He said that he was with Harrison recently, and out in public, people were giving the pair their space in fear of facing Harrison's wrath.
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Steelers legendary linebacker James Harrison (#92) prepares to rush the passer during a regular season football game at then-Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA.
There will never be another James Harrison, and that's mostly because the rules of the game have changed to take out some of the monstrous hits he laid in his career. Ask some of those quarterbacks who had to face him about the hits he dolled out, and it's easy to understand why he was such a menacing force. Whether Harrison believes he's a Hall of Famer or not, there are going to be plenty of former teammates and opposing players who say he does belong.
Do you think Harrison should be in the Hall of Fame? What did you think of Roethlisberger's comments about it? Comment below!
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