Reports are that Steelers linebacker James Harrison is set to return for his 13th season with the team.
Steelers linebacker James Harrison finished the 2015 season unsure if he would be returning for the final year on his contract but, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Harrison’s agent Bill Parise confirmed that Harrison intends to honor his contract.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert spoke with some media on Tuesday and revealed that the front office fully expected a return from Harrison.
Everyone got the news and ran with it. Deebo’s coming back! Hooray! Let us rejoice in all of the sacks! But then…hold up. Harrison himself pumps the breaks.
Hold up. It's 1 thing to want to come back but it's another to get the body back to where it needs to be. We'll see. https://t.co/34YPjZU5Sh
— James Harrison (@jharrison9292) February 16, 2016
So let’s not count our quarterback knockdowns before they happen. Let’s try to convince James that he needs to give it one more chance.
The first reason Harrison should return is that he’s just a sack away from taking the title of Steelers all-time sack leader currently held by Jason Gildon. Gildon set the record with 77 sacks and Harrison currently has 76.5 career sacks.
The second reason to return is that he can still do it. He played just over 50 percent of the defensive snaps in 2015 and registered 40 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception. He topped that off with a playoff performance that included two sacks and three tackles for a loss.
The third reason is that the defense needs him. Jarvis Jones is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal, the team has until early May to decide whether or not to exercise the fifth-year option, and while he has progressed it has been at a pace slower than everyone expected.
Harrison returning doesn’t automatically put the bust label on Jones but instead would give Jones another offseason of training with Harrison and another season of learning from him on the field and in the locker room.
There’s no reason to look at Harrison coming back as an indictment on anyone else. James Harrison is a unique physical specimen and a beast of a football player. He’s a leader on the field and in the locker room and I can’t think of anything better than his swansong culminating in not only taking over the Steelers’ sack title but also bringing home the 7th Lombardi Trophy.
Next: Steelers defensive expectations for 2016
So Deebo, give us one more chance. Make this season your Jerome Bettis season and you can sack your way to the Super Bowl and ride out in the sunset. What do you think?
Be sure to wish James a happy 38th birthday on May 4th.