Steelers' James Harrison Calls Out Mike Tomlin For Not Being Honest With Him

Pittsburgh Steelers' hard-hitting former outside linebacker, James Harrison, remains a fan favorite for his incredible accomplishments in the Steel City. Entering the NFL as an undrafted player with few believing he could make an impact, Harrison defied the odds and consistently proved his doubters wrong. He finished his career with 84.5 sacks, 34 forced fumbles, and eight interceptions.

Harrison is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in Steelers history. That's a tremendous feat to have considering the all-time greats who have played in the Steelers' defense. However, toward the end of his career, he made controversial moves by leaving Pittsburgh to play for the Cincinnati Bengals and later the New England Patriots. After a stint with the Bengals, Harrison returned to the Steelers, only to depart once again for New England before retiring.

Recently, Harrison joined his former teammate Ryan Clark on The Pivot podcast alongside Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. Clark didn’t hold back, directly asking Harrison why he chose to play for the Patriots. Harrison admitted it wasn’t his first choice but said he had no other option, as Mike Tomlin and the Steelers made it clear they were no longer interested in him. When asked about his current relationship with Tomlin, Harrison gave an honest and unfiltered response.

"I understand the business of it, but my thing to be 100% with you, is I need honesty dude," Harrison said. "Like he says you ask tough questions, I am gonna give you a tough answer. I was asking tough questions at that time, but I wasn’t getting the hard answers. I was getting whatever they thought would keep me or whatever."

Harrison explained that Tomlin repeatedly assured him the team had a plan for him, but he quickly realized that wasn’t the case. He insisted he was still capable of making an impact but felt Tomlin wasn’t being honest with him. 

That’s why, when the opportunity to join the Patriots arose—despite not wanting to go—he felt he had no choice but to take it in order to extend his career.

"At the end of it, I was like just tell me the truth," Harrison said. "If that's what you wanna do, then cool. They kept saying they had a plan and they didn’t have a plan dude."

What makes this so interesting is that despite everything, Harrison has remained a loyal supporter of the Steelers. That’s why when Clark directly asked about his current relationship with Tomlin, his response stood out—because it’s clear he still has a great deal of respect for him. Harrison admitted that while the way things ended with Tomlin wasn’t easy, he understood it was just part of the business.

Tomlin has always taken pride in making tough decisions. When the Steelers fired Matt Canada during the 2023 season, he emphasized that "leadership is lonely" and made it clear the decision was his alone. He’s comfortable with the uncomfortable—but Harrison felt that, toward the end of his career, Tomlin wasn’t upfront with him and was instead trying to mislead him.

Steelers Fans Still Cringe Thinking About James Harrison In A Patriots Uniform

Steelers fans still cringe when they see images of Harrison in a Patriots or Bengals jersey, but according to him, it never would have happened if Tomlin had simply followed through on his promises. However, it’s clear that any lingering frustration didn’t outweigh his admiration for Tomlin, as he still speaks highly of him to this day.

Harrison has always been known for keeping it real. At the time, he felt the Steelers weren’t fully transparent with him, and it frustrated him. Years later, hearing his perspective on the situation offers valuable insight into one of the most debated moments of his career. Steelers fans can rest easy at night knowing that Harrison didn't want to be a Patriot after all.

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