Steelers' James Harrison Got The Last Laugh On Chiefs' Travis Kelce: 'This Guy Has Killed Somebody'

Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, but he finished his career as one of the scariest players of all-time. He would go on to make five Pro Bowls, earn two First Team All-Pro honors, and win two Super Bowl championships. 

Harrison is best known for his iconic 100-yard pick-six in Super Bowl XLIII, one of the greatest plays in NFL history. Beyond the accolades, he built a reputation as one of the league’s most feared defenders, known for his relentless motor, punishing hits, and intimidating presence.

That fear factor was very real. Opposing players, especially younger ones, quickly learned not to test him. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce found that out early in his career. As Kelce recalled on Bussin’ With The Boys, he made the mistake of trash talking Harrison during a game, joking that the veteran couldn't get off his block. Harrison said nothing. He simply stared at Kelce through his visor, completely silent.

"James Harrison in that same year," Kelce said. "He had that visor on… I was holding him, saying, 'Yeah, you can’t get off the block.' He just stares at me and doesn’t say anything. I was trying to see if he was really staring at me and see if his eyes followed. His head follows a little bit, and I was just like, 'What?'"

Hearing Kelce detail how he said what while staring down Harrison was hilarious. A few plays later, Harrison responded the only way he knew how. He timed the snap perfectly, exploded off the line, and delivered a crushing blindside hit that left Kelce stunned and struggling to get up. 

When Kelce looked over, Harrison was once again staring at him without saying a word. It was a brutal and unforgettable lesson in why Harrison was one of the most intimidating defenders to ever play the game.

"Three plays later, I am on the line of scrimmage looking at the ball, and he’s the outside backer," Kelce said. "He just times it up and smokes me. He timed up the snap, and I come off the ball and just get absolutely blindsided. I am trying to get up with my fu****** head, trying to figure out what happened. I absolutely fu****** the entire play… I look over at him, and he’s just staring at me with the fu***** visor again, not saying a thing. I was like, 'This guy has fu****** killed somebody for sure.'"

A lot of players talk about getting juiced up to face off against a star, using the opportunity to prove they belong. For a young Kelce, lining up against Harrison was one of those moments. Kelce was full of confidence and eager to test himself. He even started talking trash, joking that Harrison couldn’t get off his block. 

But Harrison didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. Without saying a word, he made it clear that Kelce had made a mistake by trying to poke the bear.

Steelers' James Harrison Didn't Even Need To Speak

Just a few plays later, Harrison delivered his answer. He timed the snap perfectly, burst off the edge, and leveled Kelce with a violent hit that left the tight end dazed and struggling to get to his feet. It wasn’t just a clean shot. It was a message. Kelce had gone from feeling confident to realizing he had picked the wrong person to challenge. Harrison didn’t talk. He didn’t celebrate. He simply stared at Kelce through his visor, cold and quiet, with the kind of presence that said everything without a single word.

That presence was part of what made Harrison so great. He wasn’t just a good football player. He was a tone-setter. His energy, his physicality, and the way he stared down opponents with that dark visor added to the fear he struck in everyone who lined up against him. The lore surrounding Harrison wasn’t built on noise or hype. It came from unforgettable moments like this, when young players learned the hard way that Harrison was unlike anyone else in the game.