The Pittsburgh Steelers 2017 NFL season was riddled with one major headline after another. Among the most notable storylines was that of linebacker James Harrison.
He had been cut by the team near the end of the regular season and was subsequently picked up by the New England Patriots en route to Super Bowl LII. Steelers owner Art Rooney II was disappointed with the way Harrison's career in Pittsburgh came to an end, according to Bob Labriola of the team website:
“We had discussions about James over the course of the season, and I’ll just say it was a disappointment,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said. “James’ career here, I would have hoped to have it end a different way, so it was a disappointment that it turned out that way. I’ll say that there is probably blame on both sides of the fence on that one, but it’s the way it turned out. In terms of him going to New England, when you make a decision to let a player go, you know somebody can pick them up. You can’t sit here and worry too much about where he might go from here once you’ve made the decision. You are better off moving on.”
Harrison experienced a considerable downtick in playing time throughout the year. As a result, he had expressed his desire to be moved on several different occasions due to his diminished role. Ever since then, the veteran has traded jabs with former teammates and others close to the organization.
Regardless, there is no denying his status as one of the best Steelers in franchise history. Harrison's NFL career was the personification of Pittsburgh's blue-collar work ethic.
He went undrafted before getting cut several times by the Steelers. However, Harrison managed to find his footing in the league and eventually became Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time Super Bowl champ. That said, his bitter departure does not outweigh all that he has done for the franchise.
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