Steelers Great James Harrison Couldn't Find Success With Bengals: "Everyone Was Afraid"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are known for having extremely talented defenders that strike fear in their opponents. It's a big reason why Pittsburgh has had some of the best defenses in the history of the NFL. Some of these defenders include players like Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, and James Harrison. Harrison was one of the best defenders in the league during the late 2000s, and was a big reason Pittsburgh found themselves playing in three Super Bowls during his time with the team.

Harrison had all of his success during his time in the NFL while he was wearing the black and gold, but he had a couple stops elsewhere throughout his career. Harrison left the Steelers after the 2012 season, when he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He had a down year, and announced his retirement following the 2013 season, before coming out of retirement to return to the Steelers during the 2014 season. 

Former Steelers Defensive Coordinator Dick Lebeau made a recent appearance on the Bleav In Steelers podcast, where he shared why it didn't go well for Harrison in Cincinnati.

"The only guy I can think of that we got back who left us was Harrison. I didn't ever want to lose him anyhow, and it didn't work out for him where he went in Cincinnati. He said everyone was afraid of him over there, and I said, 'Well h*ll yes, you beat the h*ll out of them twice a year'." 

Harrison was known for his hard-hitting ability. When he played he didn't seem to have any worry about his own body, he just tried to instill fear in his opponents. In the 2010 season alone, Harrison was fined $125,000 for four different occasions where he either hit a defenseless receiver or delivered a late hit on the quarterback.

In 2011, Harrison was fined over $73,000 and suspended for a game due to an illegal hit on a quarterback. It's fair to say he had a certain reputation for the way he played during his career, especially during his time in Pittsburgh. Teams feared having to play the Steelers, and Harrison was a big reason why. 

The Bengals had to play Harrison twice a season, at least. When he signed with them he was joining teammates who he had delivered some bone-crushing hits on. It's completely understandable why it would be difficult for him to form healthy relationships with his new teammates, and why they may be a little standoffish towards Harrison.

The defender spent just one season in Cincinnati, playing in 15 games and starting 10 of them. The team released him at the beginning of the new league year. Harrison recorded just 31 tackles, two sacks, and an interception during his time with the Bengals.

Steelers Parted Ways With Harrison Once Again In 2017

After returning from the Bengals, Harrison played three full seasons in Pittsburgh through the 2016 season. In 2017, he didn't see much playing time and was a healthy scratch for multiple games. Pittsburgh released him towards the end of the regular season, and he then signed with the New England Patriots for the remainder of the season.

He reached Super Bowl LII with New England, which he started. He recorded just 2 tackles as the Patriots fell to the Philadelphia Eagles. Harrison appeared in every game for the Patriots during their playoff run, but failed to make much of an impact. Harrison retired from the NFL again after the 2017 season concluded. Harrison has since been seen in the Steelers facility, and there doesn't seem to be any bad blood between him and the organization. He seems to be enjoying retirement, and has been outspoken about various rule changes the league has made.

What do you think about LeBeau's comments? Let us know in the comments below!

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