James Harrison's Contribution to the Steelers Linebacker Legacy

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise that yields nothing to any other NFL franchise when it comes to linebacking.

In 1970’s, Andy Russell and Hall of Famers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert set the standard. Since then, notable Steelers linebackers have fallen into two categories.

• Those who have upheld the standard, and those who added their own legacy to it.

The fact that he will not finish his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in no way diminishes James Harrison’s contribution to Steelers proud Linebacker Legacy.

The Steelers Linebacker Legacy

Steelers Nation does not accept linebackers who merely play “above the line.” Steelers Nation demands excellence for its linebackers.

The Steelers Media Guide used to run a page on the teams “Linebacker Legacy.” From 1969 to 1987 the Steelers sent at least one linebacker to the Pro Bowl. The steak ended with Mike Merriweather in ’87, but began anew in 1991 with Greg Lloyd, ended in 1998 with Levon Kirkland, only to begin again in 2001 with Jason Gildon continuing with James Harrison into 2010.

With such a time-honored tradition at linebacker, one may ask, what must a linebacker do to add to the tradition instead of simply living up to it?

To contribute to Steelers Linebacker Legacy, a linebacker must:

• Have a nasty streak
• Be relentless
• Strike fear into the hearts of quarterbacks
• Step up when times get tough
• Secure turnovers
• Inspire his teammates
• Make game-changing plays

James Harrison did all of these things, and Steel Curtain Rising now takes a look at how he did them and you can read and/or see them for yourself by clicking on the links below or simply scrolling down.

James Harrison Redefines “Nasty”
The Relentlessness of James Harrison
Striking Fear into Opposing Quarterbacks
Stepping It Up When Times Get Tough
James Harrison - Ball Hawk
Silverback Leading by Example
Super Bowl XLIII James Harrison, Game Changer

James Harrison Redefines “Nasty”

His predecessor Greg Lloyd wore t-shirts exclaiming “I wasn’t hired for my disposition.”

Joey Porter, his immediate predecessor, stirred up the pot once getting throw out of a game for pre game brawling and would follow opponents to the team bus. (Incidentally, Porter’s ejection at Cleveland led to Harrison’s first start we he registered 6 tackles and a sack.)

But Harrison’s signature “Nasty” came on Christmas Eve in 2005 and needs no words to describe it:



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The Relentlessness of James Harrison

Roger Goodell and Ray Anderson disciplined James Harrison as if Harrison thought he played by his own set of rules. In 2010 they had the decency to go public with their feud.

But prior Harrison had been fighting a Cold War with the officials, whereby the referees willfully looked the other way as opposing offensive lineman held Harrison, wrestled with Harrison and at times even horse collared him to the ground with nary a flag being thrown.

• That never stopped Harrison, in fact it barely slowed him down as sacked opposing quarterbacks 16 times in 2008 when he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year

Harrison posted double digit sack seasons in 2009, 2010 and would have done so in 2011 had it not been for injury and suspension.

Silverback accomplished that feat despite essentially playing with one arm in late 2009, two herniated disks in 2010 and recovery from back surgery and then an orbital bone fracture in 2011.

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Striking Fear into Opposing Quarterbacks

Steve McNair was a Steelers slayer during his time in Tennessee and with Baltimore. But he had the misfortune to start the Steelers 75th Anniversary game which James Harrison chose as his moment to explode onto the national scene.

On that night, Harrison:

• Sacked McNair 3 times and got a piece of another McNair pass
• Intercepted a McNair pass and returned it for 20 yards
• Defensed 1 pass
• Forced 2 forced fumbles and recovered another fumble
• Finished the game with 9 total tackles

McNair had been .500 in his four stars prior to that game. He lost both that night and in the two starts that followed, his final NFL action.

Steve McNair had owned the Steelers during his time in Tennessee and Baltimore. But he’d never had to start opposite James Harrison until that night.

It would seem that Silverback made a lasting impression.

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Stepping It Up When Times Get Tough

The glow of Super Bowl XLIII masks the fact that the 2008 Steelers were maddingly inconsistent on offense. Their late November game vs. San Diego provides a perfect example, as Ben Roethlisberger threw for 300 yards, Hines Ward caught for 100 yards, and Willie Parker ran for 115.

But the only points the Steelers scored were off of Jeff Reed’s leg and one defensive score.

• And as if you had any doubt, that defensive score was made possible by a James Harrison strip sack in the end zone.

That wasn’t all that Harrison did that day. Late in the first half San Diego stood at their 2, threatening to score. James Harrison intercepted the ball and took it back 33 yards, setting up one of Reed’s field goals.

Oh, and if the Steelers backs were far enough to the wall, the penalty differential was 13-2 in San Diego’s favor that day.

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James Harrison - Ball Hawk

Sacking the quarterback is great. Sacking the quarterback and stripping the ball is even better. James Harrison had a knack for doing both. At times it seemed like he had a Tomahawk instead of a forearm and the numbers back this up.

Forced fumbles were a James Harrison specialty

This simple comparison highlights James Harrison’s uniqueness.

In 22% of his games, James Harrison caused the opponent to cough up the ball. Of the other Cowher-Tomin era outside linebackers, only Greg Lloyd had better with a “games with forced fumble” percentage.  

While outside linebackers are usually measured by sacks, the forced fumble is an equal and often times greater measure, as the chart indicates.

Of all the linebackers ranked, only Clark Haggans "overperforms" whereas LaMarr Woodley perhaps under performs. Otherwise you have a pretty fair ranking of the Steelers outside linebackers during the Cowher-Tomlin era.

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Silverback Leading by Example

Joey Porter antagonized the opposition. Greg Lloyd demanded excellence of his teammates both on and off the field. James Farrior acted the quarterback of the defense and led in the locker room.

• Some players, quiet by their nature, lead by example.

Most players, when they reach elite status, refuse to play special teams. Yet when the Steelers kicking coverage was struggling against Jacksonville in the 2008 playoff game, James Harrison agreed to cover kicks.

Needless to say Jacksonville enjoyed no more long kickoff returns.

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Super Bowl XLIII James Harrison, Game Changer

Super Bowl XLIII will be remember for many things. Lombardi Number Six. Ben Roethlisberger authored the most incredible come from behind drive in Super Bowl history.

But what made that drive relevant came at the end of the first half, as Arizona was looking to score a touchdown with time expiring, when James Harrison made a read and decided to do a little free lancing. Here, one more time, is what happened:



Dick LeBeau calls James Harrison’s 100 yard touchdown run the best defensive play he has ever seen. What a game changer it was.

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Silverback Finishes Outside of Steelers Nation, But Legacy Remains Untarnished

Sadly, James Harrison will not finish his career in the Black and Gold. Salary cap considerations and pride did not allow it.

But that changes nothing. His contribution to the Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker Legacy will always remain intact.

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Jarvis Jones Gives Steelers Nation A Sight for Sore Eyes - No. 95 Making Splash Plays Again

Sometimes error can lead to great fortune. Going into the 2013 NFL Draft, draft nicks knocked Jarvis Jones because he was a little slow.

Gil Brandt, architect of the Dallas Doomesday Dynasty of the 1970’s didn’t consider Jones a first round talent explaining, "I think he's one of those guys that when you're rushing the passer, he's going to almost get there, but not quite."

The Steelers made their own evaluations of Jones, and perhaps that included the knowledge that a minor injury tainted Jones combine time and they selected Jarvis Jones in the first round.

Shortly after joining the Steelers Jones upped the ante, by choosing 95 for his jersey number. While 95 doesn’t hold hallowed status in Steelers lore the way 12 (Terry Bradshaw), 32 (Franco Harris), 47 (Mel Blount), 58 (Jack Lambert), 59 (Jack Ham), and 75 (Joe Greene) do, it is the number worn by Greg Lloyd and therefore commands respect.

• Some of the players donning number 95 recently haven’t lived up to the standard (think Alonzo Jackson).

There were very few bright spots in the torturing the Steelers suffered at the hands of the Titans. But there was one highlight worth reliving:

• You call that, Steelers Nation, hitting with authority.

Yes, it Jones has only made one play. Yes, it is perhaps understandable that the Titans might “forget” to account for a rookie so early in the season – the Bengals won’t suffer a similar memory lapse this weekend.

But for ten years Greg Lloyd executed exactly that type of decisive playmaking to breath legend into Number 95.

Jones still has long way to go to live up to the standard set by his fellow Georgian.

• But his booming tackle of Chris Johnson amounted to a very strong step. 

And number 95 smashing players in the backfield gives Steelers Nation a sight for sore eyes.

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Steelers 2013 Roster Analysis, Defense: Linebackers

Steel Curtain Risings analysis of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 roster continues with the unit that has traditionally been the strength of  the franchise, the linebackers.

Starters: Jason Worilds, Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, and LaMarr Woodley
Back Ups:  Jarvis Jones, Chris Carter, Vince Williams, Kion Wilson and Terrance Martin

Strengths: If Lawrence Timmons can maintain his level from a year ago and LaMarr Woodley can play to his pre-injury standard this until can wreak havoc.

Weaknesses:  An under appreciated strength of James Harrison was his ability to completely snuff the run. Can Jason Worilds pick up that slack when he has struggled. Larry Foote's play in 2012 was generally solid but age is creeping up on him, and he's never been known for his speed.

The Skinny:  The transgenerational gift that Steelers have seemingly had had a gift for finding linebackers will be put to the test in 2013 as it was in 2012. The key here is consistency. Lawrence Timmons has yet to put together back to back solid seasons. LaMarr Woodley has always run hot and cold. While many were lamenting the absence of James Harrison in early 2012, Worilds proved he can rush the passer. Can he stop the run?

Click here and scroll around to read analysis of other position areas on the Steelers 2013 Roster.

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Steelers Draft Jarvis Jones in First Round of 2013 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2013 NFL Draft with a rainbow of needs but a few colors in the spectrum shown more brightly than others.

One of those needs was at outside linebacker, and Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert addressed that need in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft by picking Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones.

Jones entered the 2013 NFL Draft as a junior, beginning his college career at USC and then transferring to Georgia after sitting out 2010. Jones started for two years for the Bulldogs wracking up 13.5 sacks during his sophomore season and adding another 14.5 in his final year.

The Steelers clearly saw a lot they liked in Jones, having brought him to the South Side for one of their pre-draft visits. Jones took the step of mocking himself before the draft, and when the Steelers turn came to pick they immediately sent their card to the commissioner.

Given Kevin Colbert’s evaluation of Jones, it is not hard to see why they waited, as Colbert explained:

He definitely is one of the guys I talked about the other day as being a special player in this draft. He's a solid kid, a great player. He was dominant at a major college. He plays the run, chases the ball and most important he gets after the passer.

The knock on Jones was that he was slow, posting a slow time in the combine, but that fact pleased the Steelers, as it allowed Jones to fall to 17.

Wither Jason Worilds?

Jones has big shoes to fill, with the working assumption being that the Steelers drafted him to replace to James Harrison, a recent cap casualty and current Cincinnati Bengal.

The story holds a slight twist however, as in the second round of the 2010 Draft the Steelers already picked Harrison’s heir apparent in the form of Jason Worilds.

Most fans are already speculating that the pick of Jones means the Steelers have no confidence in Worilds.

• But the Steelers might just have other plans up there sleeve.

Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider mentioned that someone inside the Steelers organization said that Jarvis reminded them of Chad Brown. The interesting part of that comparison is that Chad Brown’s started at inside linebacker before moving outside in the wake of Greg Lloyd’s injury on opening day in 1996.

• Another prominent blogger has suggested in a private conversation that the Steelers could use him at inside linebacker.

That’s all speculation, but Jason Worlids both gives the Steelers a year of security to make that determination as well as gets a fire lit under him.

Regardless of whether he plays inside linebacker or outside linebacker, the Steelers need anyone who can play linebacker.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Jarvis Jones.

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Steelers Draft Needs: Longing for More of the Linebacker Legacy

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise which yields nothing to anyone with it comes to its Linebacker Legacy. While the original Steel Curtain provided the heart of the Super Steelers defense, linebackers Andy Russell, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert provided the unit’s mind and soul.

• Russell and Ham knew enough to shut down opponents plays before the snap count started. Lambert simply brought attitude.

And the tradition has been handed down from generation to generation. From Greg Lloyd and Levon Kirkland to Joey Porter and James Farrior to James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons.

If the Steelers are to continue linebacker legacy they must do so in the 2013 NFL Draft.
The Steelers will begin 2013 with:

• One outside linebacker whose last two seasons have been ruined by injury (LaMarr Woodley)
• Another outside linebacker who is a big question mark (Jason Worilds)
• An aging inside linebacker who still has something left, but whose time is fading (Larry Foote)
• Another inside linebacker who can’t seem to string to strong seasons together (Timmons)

Worse yet, the Steelers have Adrian Robinson and Chris Carter behind them and neither of whom has proven anything and Stevenson Sylvester whom the Steelers did not think enough of to protect in Restricted Free Agency. (Marshall McFadden is also in the mix, for whatever that is worth.)

Linebacker Needs have “Got the Steelers Inside and Out” 

Clearly the Steelers have needs at linebacker to fill in the 2013 NFL Draft. But if forced to make a decision, as they likely will, which position takes priority, inside or outside?

• There is no easy answer here, but in this case a simple methodology based on math might help.

For the purposes of evaluating draft-day needs, the Steelers must assume a worst case scenario for 2012’s third round pick Sean Spence.

But even if you assume that Sean Spence’s NFL career is over before it started, the Steelers still have Stevenson Sylvester. At this point Sylvester isn’t likely to be anything more than a back up, but he has played well on special teams and has three season’s in Dick LeBeau’s defense under his belt.

Add to that fact that Lawrence Timmons and Larry Foote are both under contract, although Foote's career has clearly entered the “take it year-by-year” phase.

In contrast on the outside, Jason Worilds is a free agent, and even if Robinson and Carter have more of an upside that Sylvester, they both have less experience.

• Er go, outside linebacker is a higher draft priority than inside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2013 NFL Draft.

But the Steelers would do well to beef up at both positions.

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Steelers Release James Harrison

In a move that was as anticipated as it is being lamented, the Pittsburgh Steelers have cut former NFL Defensive Player of the year James Harrison.

At issue were James Harrison’s salary, his age, and his health. At 34 James Harrison was scheduled to make salaries in the range of 6 to 7 million dollars a year, and was eating up the a large chunk of the Steelers salary cap.

The Steelers attempted to reach a deal with James Harrison, who in fact was willing to take a reduced salary, but as Ed Bouchette reported in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the two sides could not find a middle ground.

James Harrison joined the Steelers in 2002 and is perhaps the best example of Kevin Colbert’s uncanny ability to find rookie free agents who blossom into stars.

It took several years for Harrison to develop, and he spent time on going on and off the Steelers practice squad. At one point the Baltimore Ravens had him, only to release him. But Harrison broke the starting line up in 2007, after that succeeded in breaking the hearts of quarterbacks.

It’s Now or Never Time for Worilds

Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert denied that the team was in transition, but that claim is made more dubious. Salary cap considerations aside, the Steelers chances of getting Lombardi Number Seven in 2013 were far, far better with James Harrison on board.

But the Steelers have salary cap issues, and Kevin Colbert indicated that they were reaching the limit of their ability to perpetually restructure player contracts.

With Harrison out, management is embracing youth, much like it did in 1996 when they let Kevin Greene go in favor of Jason Gildon. Whle Jason Gildon was a quality player, Kevin Greene outplayed him in stints in San Francisco and Carolina over the next few years.

• Now they’re doing similar experiment with another Jason.

The Steelers drafted Jason Worilds the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Worilds played little in 2010, looked rather unimpressive in a few starts in 2011, but improved somewhat in 2012.

• For better or for worse, the Steelers will now find out what they really have in Worilds. 

Jason Worilds may develop into a quality NFL starter. He might grow into a Clark Haggans or even Jason Gildon type player.

But in replacing James Harrison, Jason Worilds very, very big shoes to fill.

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Is the Clock Ticking on James Harrison's Time as a Pittsburgh Steeler?

The man at the center of Steelers Nation’s pre-free agency focus isn’t even a free agent…

…But that could change fast.

You may have heard of him. He goes by the name of “James Harrison” although the monikers “Deebo” and “Silverback” often get attached to his signature 92. In case you're fuzzy, here are a few of his accomplishments:

• He is one of Kevin Colbert's unrestricted rookie free agent steals
• He single handedly dominated the Baltimore Ravens defense during the Steelers 75th Anniversary game
• He struck fear into NFL quarterbacks like no other Steeler since Greg Lloyd
• In 2008 he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year
• He broke the Steelers sack record despite blatant holding willfully ignored by the officals
• In Super Bowl XLIII he authored the longest play in Super Bowl history

And the phrase “James Harrison Pittsburgh Steeler” could also soon be history.

Steelers Ask Harrison for Pay Cut, Debo Says "Not So Fast...."

The Steelers extended James Harrison’s contract in the 2009 off season with a deal that acknowledged Harrison had played cheaply prior to that point. It was also backloaded.

The Steelers will pay out 6.57 million dollars in 2012, but his salary cap value is closer to 10 million due to prorated bonuses. The Steelers want need to reduce his cap hit. The easy way to do that is with an extension/restructure.

That’s problematic as neither side figures Harrison would play additional years.  And Kevin Colbert indicated in his pre-free agency chat with the press that the Steelers would restructure contracts (and they did for Lawrence Timmons, Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown) but that they were reaching the limits of their ability to restructure contracts.

• But the Steelers are not seeking the easy way out.

As Ed Bouchette has reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers are asking Harrison to take a pay cut. The Steelers have done this with veterans before, most notably Jerome Bettis.

But Bettis was willing to take one for the team. He wanted to win a Championship and Super Bowl XL rewarded him for his faith.

• But James Harrison’s agent said weeks ago that he didn’t see the need for Harrison to take a pay cut.

The two sides, reports Bouchette, are at an impasse. Harrison’s agent, Bill Praise, is saying all of the right things about Harrison wanting to be a Steeler. The Steelers are mum.

• But something has got to give.

The Steelers were under the NFL’s salary cap last week, but signing William Gay likely brought them back up to or above the cap. And the Steelers have restricted free agents such as Isaac Redman and Emmanuel Sanders to resign; they undoubtedly like bring back some of their unrestricted free agents such as Larry Foote or perhaps Plaxico Burress.

To do that they need money. They can restructure LaMarr Woodley’s contract, but they don’t want to do that.

• They can gain 5 million and change by cutting James Harrison outright.

The Steelers don’t want to do that because James Harrison still has something left, and he’s still better than Jason Worilds.

The two sides are still talking, but the clock is ticking….

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James Harrison's Injury Lingers, Forcing Steelers to Rely on Worilds, Carter

The good news is that the James Harrison went through a full practice this week for the first time since Labor Day.

The bad news is that Harrison's surgically repaired knee did not respond well, and he sat out the next practice, as Ed Bouchette from the Post-Gazette reported via Twitter (which ESPN subsequently picked up).  As if you need to be told that, this ladies and gentleman, is really, really bad news.

Nary a season ago, linebacking was the strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Three games into the 2012 season finds linebacking bordering on being a liability.

The Steelers have mainly used third year man Jason Worilds and second year man Chris Carter in Harrison’s absence. Measured by pure stats, neither man has done much.

As tracked by Pro Football Reference, these are Chris Carter's 2012 numbers so far:

And, these are Jason Worild's 2012 numbers thus far:

Stats of course provide an incomplete picture.

Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain has credited Chris Carter with playing well in the Steelers “almost” goal line stand in the loss to Oakland. Worilds did make some noise in Denver, but the next time he was visible was on the face mask penalty that helped keep Oakland in the game.

Its true the experience will benefit Carter and that the team needs the exposure with Worlids, if for no other reason than to give him every last chance to justify the faith they showed in him when they drafted him in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

While it would be welcome to see either of these men step up, Harrison can give this defense a boost in a way that neither of them is likely to do at this stage of their careers. But the odds are that Harrison will remain in street clothes for a while longer.

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Steelers Resign Lawrence Timmons the Right Move

“Follow the money” implored “Deep Throat” the inside source of the Watergate scandal.



If you want to know what the Pittsburgh Steelers see as the strength of their team, look at where they put their money.

• James Farrior signed for five years and 18.25 million dollars in 2008



• James Harrison signed for 6 years and 51 million dollars in 2010



• LaMarr Woodley signed for 6 years and 61.5 million dollars earlier this month

And today the Steelers announced that they’d signed Lawrence Timmons, starting inside linebacker, and the first pick of the Mike Tomlin era for six years and a cool 60 million dollars, including 18 in bonuses.



For those of you keeping track at home, that averages out to about a quarter of the 120 million dollar salary cap paid out to the starting linebacking corps.



The Right Move



As a rookie Lawrence Timmons had difficulty getting on the field due to some nagging injuries. Although he failed to break the starting line up in his sophomore season, he nonetheless made his share of “Splash plays” – his work in relief of James Harrison in the Washington game sticks out.



Timmons graduation to the starting line up in 2009 fell below expectations, but who didn’t fall short of expectations in 2009?



But in 2010 Lawrence Timmons came into his own.



While James Harrison and Troy Polamalu (rightly) filled the highlight reels for their eye popping plays against Tennessee, Timmons was flying around and seemingly in on every play and played a key role in shutting down Chris Johnson.



The Steelers defense played one of the best games in its history that hot and humid day against Tennessee, and the game also served as a metaphor for Timmon’s season. Guys like Harrison, Polamalu, and Woodley got most of the accolades, but Timmons led the team in tackles.



Locking Timmons up for six more years is the right move.



The Right Move II



In reporting Timmons signing, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Ed Bouchette concludes that the Steelers have finished with their signings for the year. (The Steelers have had a contract negotiation black out since 1993.)



That means that Troy Polamalu and Mike Wallace, both in the final years of their contracts, will have to wait.



That too is wise on the part of the Steelers braintrust.



For as strongly as Steel Curtain Rising defended Troy Polamalu against the “overrated” charge this past summer, the truth is that Polamalu has missed games because of injury in four of the past five years, and he’s finished the functional equivalent of two of those in IR.



Make no mistake about it, the Steelers defense cannot be great without Troy Polamalu, and it would be a tragedy should wear any other uniform before beginning his “life’s work.” But the Steelers will have the option to franchise him at season’s end, and after making an honest assessment as to how much Polamalu has left in the tank.



Mike Wallace will be a restricted free agent next spring. The Steelers do run the risk that some other team will make an inane offer that they cannot match, but it is a risk worth taking.



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