Rodney Harrison Retires

I think he really brought a swagger to a defense that was always good, but didn’t really scare anyone. I think he also kicked Junior’s game up a notch by his hard work and tough play. Before that Jr’s only competition for hardest worker on the defense came from Leslie Oniel, who set the “hard work bar” pretty low…

I also think Rodney kind of got caught in a transitional era in the NFL. If he had come along 10 years earlier, he would have been Ronnie Lott and no one would have questioned his hits over the middle. If he had come along 10 years later, he would have known what was expected of him and perhaps played a different style of game. As it was, he came in during an era when the big hit over the middle was allowed and glorifed. Soon thereafter the NFL started cracking down on those hits and for about 5-7 years, no one really understood what was allowed and what wasn’t. This was due to both constant rule change and player resistance to change. This is the time period when Rodney really earned his reputation as a “dirty” player. 15 years ago, there was no penalty for leaving your feet to lay out a defenseless WR. Of course you should blow him up, that is your job. Today, it’s a clear 15 yard penalty and a stupid play.

So I think his body of work is judged a bit unfairly due to the transitional era he played in. But he was a great player who did a lot of good things for the Chargers and the Pats.

1:51 is not nearly enough time to pay proper tribute Rodney Harrison. There are far too many classic little moments that accumulate over the years that made you love him if he was on your team and justifiably hate him if he wasn’t. He was the consummate nuisance: wildly unpredictable, overly physical, strong, savvy, mean and nasty with and a downright scary way of delivering all of that in a weirdly polite and friendly way. He would lay you out, slap the ball out of your hands after the whistle, use your head to help himself up and then offer his hand to help you up, slap you on the helmet and pat you on the butt, as if by doing that it would somehow mitigate the assault, and then you would walk back to the huddle terrified. Anyone remember when Eddie Kennison quit football the day before he had to play the Chargers back in 2001? Three weeks prior to he was absolutely demolished by #37 on at least two separate occasions and I am thoroughly convinced that is why he second guessed his career path.
Anyhow, it was such a shame when Rodney Harrison left the Chargers, but at the time, under the circumstances, it was understandable. Anyone that saw Ricky Williams running circles around him thought he was done. Then, of course, we learn that he was playing on two bad groins that year and it all makes sense. The Chargers were not the same after losing that element that is so crucial to a successful defense and to see him continue to thrive for years on a different team was bittersweet. It wasn’t until the Chargers drafted Shawne Merriman, a player, just like Harrison, that if you didn’t account for at all times could end your career, that the defense regained top-flight status. That is why the upcoming season is going to be incredible and that is why Rodney Harrison is without a doubt a Hall of Famer.