James Harrison Threatens to Quit NFL after Fine

Steelers linebacker James Harrison has been excused from Wednesday's practice after meeting with coach Mike Tomlin about the $75,000 fine Harrison incurred for a helmet hit on a Browns receiver.

Harrison has made it clear he's upset about the fine, saying in multiple radio interviews that he isn't certain that he can keep playing the way he has been taught since he was a youngster, now that the league is threatening to suspend players for dangerous hits.

"I'm going to sit down and have a serious conversation with my coach tomorrow and see if I can actually play by NFL rules and still be effective," Harrison said on Fox Sports Radio with Jody McDonald. "If not, I may have to give up playing football."

Harrison was the 2008 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and has a reputation of being one of the league's hardest hitters. His helmet hits caused Browns receivers Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi to leave Sunday's game with concussions.

Harrison was fined, but not suspended, for the hit on an unprotected Massaquoi as the receiver attempted to complete a catch.

The three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker also said he might retire, although the Steelers don't seem to be taking that threat seriously. If he quit, Harrison would owe the Steelers a share of the $20 million in upfront money he collected when he signed a $51.2 million, six-year contract in April 2009.

[frankie2fing]

When did football stop being a game of strategy and endurance and morph into a game when it is important to knock opposing players out of the game (or football completely, if possible). This is a direct result of youth coaches (peewee, hs, college) wanting to win at all costs. I played and coached. While some hits 'happen', most are designed to inflict as much pain on the opposition as possible. One hit over the weekend was on the Colts Adibi, when the Redskin linebacker went for his head, shoulderpad to helmet, when his ENTIRE body was exposed. The Redskins, as well as other teams, have an 'award' for the best hit of the game. This is not football. The monsters are sociopaths...and we cheer for them.

[tsigili]

Pro sports are nothing but big business anyway, and of little use to the country. Go ahead and do something else, that actually contributes something to the country.

[gonzoberger]

Have any of you actually played football? What I saw was clean from Harrison. I was taught to keep your head up and not spear. So many of these calls are facemask to helmet, big difference. So many of these hits, the defender has his head up, and at the last second, the offensive player's head pops up and meets the defender's. I agree that helmet to helmet should be penalized, but this is a fast, hard hitting game, and you're just not going to get rid of it, and we're going to see more players suspended for PLAYING THE GAME. Bring back headslaps at the line too!

[afmcalax]

Sometime you can take the man out of the ghetto; but cannot take the ghetto out of the man. These helmet to helmet hits, cheap crack back blocks, etc are just ghetto behavior to see who pretends to be a man instead of actually acting like a man.

[betterusa]

Yes James, quit your 20 million up front and 8.5 million dollar per year job because of a $75k fine. Go get a working stiff job year long and see how much we care. You want pity and acceptance for your dirty play. Although many of us have not played at your level, it is not impossible to tackle without leading with the helmet. I was taught to tackle at the legs; it is the easiest way to take someone down. This is why so many broken tackles in the NFL and college. Everyone is tackling at the chest trying to strip the ball. Basic fundamentals will solve your dirty play.

[mb91764]

Let the baby quit.Don't watch the game anymore because of the over pay chumps.Get a free ride all there life just because they can run with a ball.Had to pay for going to college,and they get a free ticket for playing ball.Then go to the pros a all you hear anymore is I want more money or I quit.Guys like him are the reason the games is crap.Brady,Manning at less have a little respect for the fans and teams who pay them.So long chump, who going to miss you.

[Simifanene]

Players are huge now a days. Even the big men run like deer's. It's time for change. Our young players must see the new rules strictly enforced. If Mr. Harrison doesn't want to play by the rules start driving a cab. No spearing with the helmet to head or body. Just last Saturday, a young huge powerful lineman, made a huge powerful tackle using his helmet to spear right in the center of the oncoming runners chest. He broke neck, his mother ran onto the field as her son lay lifeless, paralyzed from the neck down. Look up the Army Rutgers game. The game can still be hard hit's without using the helment to lay someone out. More importently the pro's must set a perfect example of how to prevent paralyzing broken necks. Players are too big now. When I was a boy we we're taught to tackle like a wrester doing a double leg pickup, Tackle by wraping your arms around the other player as hard as you can as long as your head is to the to left or right of the oncoming runners body. There've been several children paralyzed this year alone who broke their neck thru spearing techniques. Another point I see the whole game of football possibly unable to pay for insurance. What company is goint to take the bad risk of paying out tens of millions for each paralyzed victum. The NFL fines are high on the first occurence and the 2nd will lead to long suspensions. Good. So all you coaches, parents and young players remember you can tackle as hard as you want as long as you don't spear with your head. Brain injuries and broken necks can't be allowed and can practically be eliminated with just a simple safe and effective tackles with your head to the left or right of your oppenent. Some player is going to read what I've said and laugh. That person will remember these words as he lives a life paralyzed and left with only thought without motion. Don't be that person.

[wdh3007]

He should just quit instead of making the threat to quit maybe then they wouldn't sue him what a wussy.

[endrepubs]

OH he's threatening to quit eh? Well that should be another $75,000 fine for being a baby about it. Quit, my arse, the NFL needs to shut these crybabies up. Anyone making millions of dollars a year playing in the NFL needs to kneel down and kiss their employers tail. These wimps wear too much padding anyway.

[lloydbest1]

It isn't just the opposing player that can get hurt when one of these linebacker types goes for a helmit hit. Waaaay back in 1964 during a high school football game I was "speared" from behind by an opposing player. I walked off the field with no worse than a bruised back but the bad dude who hit me was left with multiple fractures to his neck. This happened in early October and by the end of the school year the guy was still strapped to a Stryker frame. It wasn't pretty......
Neither one of us weighed more than about 175 and were not much, if any, faster than the 240+ pound mastodons that play today. Players are far more massive and therefore far more at risk of serious injury than we were back in those early days. If Harrison doesn't stop with his sh*t, he will end up crippling (or worse) either himself or someone else.