The Pittsburgh Steelers former All-Pro James Harrison joined Ben Roethlisberger and Spencer T’eo on Episode 15 of the legendary quarterback’s podcast Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger. Harrison had an incredibly difficult journey to the NFL and was cut by the Steelers multiple times before he caught on with the team for good. His journey included a brief stint with the black and gold’s biggest rival the Baltimore Ravens.
Steelers linebacker James Harrison sacking Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. (Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press)
“So, they (the Steelers) released me,” Harrison began. “I’m talking to my agent, but this dude is nowhere to be found. So, I end up sending him a letter and firing him and getting another agent. He calls me within half a day and says Baltimore is looking for you, they’ve been looking for you for the last six weeks and they’ve been trying to call you. So, Baltimore picks me up and it’s the end of the year so they say we want you to go to Europe, so I go to NFL Europe.”
Steelers' history would be very different without the vicious Harrison and so would the Baltimore Ravens' history. If Harrison’s agent had not ghosted him and he had signed with the Ravens during the season, his intensity and playmaking ability might have made him a mainstay on their defense and changed NFL history potentially putting the Ravens as the unstoppable force in the AFC North.
“It was the best and the worst experience,” Harrison said about NFL Europe. “We are in Clearwater, Florida for like a month. This is when you had two practices a day, in pads. He gave us a break on Sunday, he had a practice and then a pool workout. I got hurt week six and it is the best thing that ever happened to me. I wanted to get back in the states, it was like I’m in jail. They said nothing was wrong with me after three days we are going to send you back, I said I’m not going back so they helped me out, so I didn’t have to.”
Harrison got to play for the Rhein Fire in the 2004 spring season and relates how much he liked playing the game, but he was depressed because he didn’t speak the language and felt like an outsider in Germany. It was a risky move for his NFL aspirations by forcing himself back to the states and not finishing the season. It almost cost him his career.
“They (the Ravens) got me there (training camp) the first week and they didn’t have me practice,” Harrison concluded. “That’s kind of weird they ain’t got me practicing but they didn’t have a couple other guys practice that was from Europe. So, I practiced one day, and Ozzie (Newsome) caught me and was like hey we’re going to release you we need to pick up a tight end.”
ARLINGTON, TX - FEBRUARY 06: James Farrior #51, James Harrison #92 and Brett Keisel #99 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate a defensive play against the Green Bay Packers during Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium on February 6, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. The Packers won 31-25. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Ozzie Newsome was a Hall of Fame player and should probably be in the Hall of Fame as an executive as well. He built the Baltimore Ravens into a consistent powerhouse and model organization that truly rivals the black-and-gold standard in Pittsburgh. He didn’t make many mistakes but cutting a future Defensive Player of the Year for a backup tight end ranks high on the list.
"So, I’m driving back to Akron, and I get a call, Daniel Wilcox who played tight end for the Rhein Fire. He was like ‘hey, I got some good news Baltimore just signed me.’ Well at least they wasn’t lying. He asked, ‘what do I mean’, I told him they just released me to pick you up.”
November 5, 2007; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (92) intercepts a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Demetrius Williams (87) during the second quarter at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. | Photo Credit: Luc Leclerc-USA TODAY Sports
Newsome who personifies class, told Harrison the truth when he cut him that the team just had more pressing needs. Harrison for his part harbors no ill will towards the former general manager but based on his performances against the Ravens over the years, it is worth wondering if it added a little extra fuel to the fire for the five-time Pro Bowler and Steelers legend.
With the return of spring football in the United States with the XFL and USFL, the NFL may truly have a conduit for players like James Harrison to make his way into the NFL. General managers are probably going to pass on a future All-Pro as Newsome did, mistakes happen. The Steeler can only hope Omar Khan isn’t the one who makes it.
What do you think Steeler Nation? What would the Steelers-Ravens rivalry look like if Harrison wore purple? Comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
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