Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – James Harrison’s retirement didn’t last
very long.
After losing a pair of starting linebackers to injuries in their last game,
the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Harrison on Tuesday.
Harrison will rejoin the team he spent 10 of his first 11 NFL seasons with.
The decision comes after the Steelers saw outside linebacker Jarvis Jones go
down with a wrist injury and rookie Ryan Shazier hurt his right knee during
Sunday’s 37-19 win at Carolina. Jones was placed on the injured
reserve/designated to return list on Tuesday.
Harrison, who spent last season with AFC North-rival Cincinnati, announced his
intention to retire in late August. The 36-year-old was not signed by any team
after being released by the Bengals in March.
Signed by the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2002 and released
the following year, Harrison emerged as one of the team’s core players when he
returned in 2004 and helped the franchise to a pair of Super Bowl titles
in his 10 seasons.
Harrison started 95 of the 131 games he played with the Steelers and ranks
fourth in franchise history with 64 sacks. He was the NFL Defensive Player of
the Year in 2008, earned five straight trips to the Pro Bowl from 2007-11 and
was named First-Team All-Pro twice.
The Kent State product also played 12 postseason games with the Steelers and
registered the longest interception return in Super Bowl history with a 100-
yard touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
Harrison joined division-rival Cincinnati last season and helped the Bengals
to the AFC North crown, amassing 30 tackles with two sacks and an interception
in 15 games.
