Steelers re-sign fan favorite James Harrison to two-year deal
By Dave Holcomb
Outside linebacker James Harrison looked over the hill at 34 in 2012, but if he has it his way, he will be playing until at least 40.
Harrison signed a two-year deal worth $3.5 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, according to ESPN NFL Media Insider Adam Schefter. He will turn 39 in May and is the oldest defender in the NFL.
Harrison has spent 13 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Steelers and was the best linebacker in the league from 2008-2010. His first full season as a starter was in 2007 when Pittsburgh released Joey Porter, who is now Harrison’s linebacker coach. By 2008, Harrison was the best defender in the league. That season, he recorded a career-high 16.0 sacks and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award on his way to the All-Pro team.
He posted double digit sacks in 2009 and 2010 as well and earned his second All-Pro nomination in 2010. From 2007-2011, he averaged 11.0 sacks and 87 total tackles per season; Harrison made the Pro Bowl in all five of those years.
At the conclusion of the 2012 season, he seemed to be washed up, and the Steelers didn’t re-sign him and watched the linebacker leave for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013. After an unsuccessful campaign in Cincinnati, Harrison retired, but he continued to work out, and the Steelers eventually convinced him to come back in 2014.
Although he did start seven games this past season, Harrison has re-invented himself mostly as a pass rushing specialist. He played 56.1 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in 2016, but still recorded 5.0 sacks. The soon-to-be 39-year-old was arguably the best Steelers defender in their Wild Card victory over the Miami Dolphins when he posted 1.5 sacks, 10 total tackles and a forced fumble.
must read: 30 Best NFL Defenders of All-Time
Also in 2016, he became the Steelers all-time leader in sacks with 79.5. Sacks became an official stat in 1982, so that doesn’t include the Steel curtain days, but still, it’s a tremendous accomplishment.
With seemingly two more seasons in Pittsburgh, Harrison has a chance to add to that total and win a third Super Bowl ring.