The Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans will always hold a special place in their hearts for James Harrison. The five-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and two-time Super Bowl champion cemented his legacy in Pittsburgh, delivering one of the most iconic plays in NFL history—his unforgettable 100-yard pick-six off Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XLIII. Harrison made his name known in the Steel City, and his impact on the franchise will never be forgotten.
However, one of the more unsettling sights for Steelers fans was seeing Harrison don a Cincinnati Bengals jersey during the 2013 season. After just one year in Cincinnati, he returned home to Pittsburgh, where he reestablished his presence with the team. But as his career wound down, Harrison made another controversial move, signing with the New England Patriots after being released by the Steelers in the 2017 season.
In his Patriots debut, Harrison made an immediate impact, recording two sacks, a forced fumble, and five total tackles against the New York Jets. He even played in the Super Bowl with New England, though the Patriots ultimately fell to the Philadelphia Eagles. Recently, Harrison sat down with his former teammate Ryan Clark on The Pivot podcast, alongside Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. Clark didn’t hold back, bluntly asking Harrison why he chose to play for two of Pittsburgh’s biggest rivals at any point in his career. Harrison, never one to sugarcoat the truth, gave a brutally honest answer—he had no other choice because the Steelers didn’t want him.
"They picked me," Harrison said. "[Bill] Belichick picked me. That is the difference. I don’t even know if I told you this. I knew they weren’t going to play me ok, but like you said, that brotherhood and that loyalty. I am sitting here in New England and [Joey Porter] can tell you this, I called him. I told him I was in New England and to be honest with you, I don’t wanna sign."
Harrison didn’t even let Clark finish his question about playing for the Bengals and Patriots before cutting him off. He quickly set the record straight, making it clear that it wasn’t his choice—Bill Belichick picked him, not the other way around.
In fact, Harrison even reached out to Joey Porter in an attempt to return to the Steelers before ultimately signing with New England.
"Hit Mike Tomlin and tell him I am here and I am ready to come back," Harrison said. "Joey Porter does his thing and nothing. The whole time before he even gets back to me, I am sitting there like if I go back to Pittsburgh I won’t even play… I was like you know what, I wanna play."
Belichick told Harrison he would have the opportunity to make an impact in meaningful football games, and that was all it took. That’s the real story behind why Harrison signed with the Patriots during the 2017 season.
It had nothing to do with the fact the Patriots had beaten the Steelers so much. It was solely a business move just like the Steelers made in regards to him.
James Harrison Knew The Steelers Weren't Going To Play Him
He knew that if he returned to Pittsburgh, he wouldn’t see the field, and he wasn’t ready to ride the bench. He wanted a chance to contribute, and in the end, it nearly earned him another Super Bowl ring.
Though the Patriots ultimately lost that Super Bowl to the Eagles, the sight of Harrison wearing a Bengals or Patriots jersey remains difficult for Steelers fans to stomach. Hearing him speak so candidly about this controversial chapter of his career adds an interesting new layer to the story, offering insight into the tough decisions he had to make as his time in the NFL wound down.
