Tuesday night (June 2, 2009 - my birthday), I received an e-mail from the Boston Globe Newsletter:
According to a source with knowledge of his plans, Rodney Harrison will announce tomorrow that he is retiring after 15 seasons -- the last six with the Patriots -- to pursue a broadcast career as part of NBC Sports' NFL coverage.
Wednesday morning, Rodney Harrison announced his retirement on a conference call saying, "I'm done and I'm very much at peace with that. Football has been good to me. I worked hard and I played hard".
Rodney was a huge influence in the New England locker room and was named a defensive captain as soon as he arrived six years ago. Harrison's voice and hard hitting plays helped bring the Patriots two Super Bowl victories while he played for them. Rodney Harrison will not only be known for what he did on the field for New England, but even more so what he did for the Patriots spirit and leadership abilities behind the scenes and on the sidelines. Harrison will be remembered for his tough, intense play and is a role model for young safeties around the world.
A Dirty Player
Around the NFL, Rodney Harrison has been called a cheap shot artist and dirty player. In his announcement, Harrison said:
People have called me a dirty player. I'm a very passionate player. I also understand that this is not volleyball. This is a very violent, physical game, and if you hit someone in the mouth, they're not going to be your friend. That's what the game of football is.
Being a strong safety myself, I have to agree with Rodney about his level of intensity and hard physical hitting. Players around the league call him dirty because they don't play on his team. A player like Rodney Harrison who is going to come out and hit you as hard as he can on every play isn't a dirty player. He's a determined player that is going to do his best to make sure he puts everything on the line to make sure you don't get that yard and his team wins.
The only part of Rodney's career that I would consider calling him dirty about is in 2007 when he was suspended for testing positive for a banned substance. Harrison also commented on his use of performance enhancing drugs during his retirement speech:
I had so much pride about trying to do things right. I made such a huge mistake in that situation and disappointed so many people, including myself. When I made that mistake, I wanted other guys and kids to learn from that.
Hard hits are not dirty in the NFL, but testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, I don't know how clean of a player you are at that point. Similar to how I feel if a certain other player who brought Boston two championships used PED's, I'm jumping to the home side of the fence.
Hall of Famer
Rodney Harrison is the only defensive back in the NFL to have both 30 sacks and 30 interceptions. Rodney won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and made it to two Pro Bowls in his 15 year career. I don't know if that solo record and his statistics alone are enough to get the hardest hitting safety into the Hall of Fame, but as I would say for anyone else who played on championship teams in Boston, they're in my hall of fame.
Thanks to patriotworld for the picture of Rodney Harrison.
What are your thoughts on Rodney Harrison? Do you think he should be in the Hall of Fame, why or why not? Let us know in the comments section.
The way he played in New England is the way he played his entire career. I think that his reputation is what kept him from being selected into Pro Bowls. After fan voting the players and coaches have a vote so that could have prevented that.
I don’t think Pro Bowls alone should be a determining factor into whether someone should be considered for the Hall of Fame. Statistics don’t lie and we’ll see what happens with Rodney in the future.
I commend him on his level of intensity and style of play and I’m glad he was a part of our team and family. He is a hard working guy and went 100 percent at everything he did and worked hard to earn those Super Bowl rings. It’ll be interesting to hear his insight on NBC.
the best part of it all is that Harrison bumped off that mumblin’ stumblin’ goon Bettis from NBC!
For real though, Harrison is just like you said Josh.. a guy you love when he’s on your team and pretty much a guy you can’t stand if he’s on the opposing team. Hell of a player but to me will falls short of a Hall of Famer. One, because I think he was VERY GOOD, not GREAT and two, safeties just don’t get their due when it comes to HOF voting for some reason.
I don’t know Chuck, two rings and the only safety to ever record both 30 sacks and 30 picks, this safety may get his due based on that alone.
If no other safety has ever done it, then it’s hall of fame worthy.
Rodney’s stats may not be enough to get him into the HOF alone, but his contribution to teams via his personality and leadership should get him a spot in the Hall.
Honestly I think his reputation may keep him out of the Hall of Fame. He’s been known as a dirty player his whole career and that may factor into his consideration when his time comes up for voting.
I think Josh is right, the only one with 30/30 should get him there, plus 2 rings…
By far one of the best “hard hitting” safeties in the NFL
… In the panel, in reaction to this Eric Cantona announced his / her retirement via basketball. Immediately after significantly marketing Cantona made a decision to re-commence is sports job in england, anf the husband …