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With Harrison’s season (and probably career) over, the man deserves your respect, dammit. So here’s an appreciation thread for one of the best safeties in NFL history.

Sure, he had a reputation for being a “dirty” player. Then again, so was Ronnie Lott. The only difference between Lott and Harrison is that Lott didn’t make opposing players’ vaginas bleed every time he hit them. That said, if the NFL wasn’t biased against allowing defensive players into the Hall of Fame, Harrison would be a no-brainer. Look at his resume (courtesy of the Patriots web site):

Harrison is the NFL's all-time leader in sacks by a defensive back, having recorded 30.5 sacks in his 14 seasons heading into 2008.
Harrison is the only player in NFL history to record at least 30 sacks and at least 30 interceptions in his career. Harrison enters the 2008 season with 30.5 sacks and 33 interceptions in his regular-season career.
Harrison has come up big on the biggest stage, with seven interceptions in his last nine playoff games, including two in Super Bowl XXXIX. His four picks in the 2004 playoffs tied for the third most in a single postseason since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Additionally, his seven career playoff interceptions are tied for the third most since the merger.
In 2007, Harrison was a part of the first team in NFL history to complete a 16-0 regular season, as the Patriots tied the NFL's all-time mark with 18 overall victories and set a league record for point differential, outscoring opponents by 315 points.
In 2006, Harrison was a captain on a Patriots defense that set a franchise record by allowing just 14.81 points per game. The defense allowed just 237 points, the fewest by any Patriots club over a 16-game season.
In 2006, Harrison was part of a Patriots secondary that allowed just 10 touchdown passes by opponents, a mark that led the NFL and stands as the fewest allowed in team history for a single season.
In his first two seasons in New England, Harrison was not only the Patriots' leading tackler each year, but also led all NFL defensive backs in tackles in both seasons. He set a career high with 140 tackles in 2003, and then followed that with a 138-tackle performance in 2004.
Harrison was voted as a defensive captain by his teammates in each of his first four seasons in New England (2003-06).
Harrison was the Patriots' leading tackler in both the 2003 and 2004 postseasons while also recording a total of two sacks, six interceptions, seven passes defensed and two forced fumbles in the six games leading to New England's back-to-back world championships.
Harrison recorded a career-high 20 tackles (12 solo) at Pittsburgh on Oct. 31, 2004. He posted double-digit tackle totals in a team-high seven games in 2004, including an 11-tackle performance in the divisional playoffs against Indianapolis (1/16/05).
Harrison has shown a knack for coming up with interceptions at crucial times. In the 2004 regular season and playoffs, five of his six interceptions came inside the opponents' 20- yard line, with four of those picks coming inside the 4-yard line and two of them coming in the end zone. His only 2004 pick that did not come inside the 20-yard line was his interception in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX, a pick that ended Philadelphia's last-gasp drive and clinched the Patriots' world title.
As an all-around contributor, Harrison recorded 12 special teams tackles in 2004, his highest total since notching 20 special teams stops as a rookie in 1994.
Harrison posted double-digit tackle totals in six games in 2003, including a season-high 14 tackles (11 solo) against Tennessee (10/5/03) and a 10-tackle effort (7 solo) in the AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis (1/18/04).
In 2003, Harrison was part of a Patriots defense that led the NFL in four key categories: opponents' points per game (14.9), opponents' passer rating (56.2), interceptions (29) and passing touchdowns surrendered (11).
Harrison was selected to the Associated Press All-Pro first team in 2003 and earned AP second-team honors in 2004.
Harrison was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1998 and 2001.
Harrison has eclipsed the 100-tackle mark seven times during his career, including a career-high 140 tackles (105 solo) in 2003.
Harrison amassed a career high six sacks during the 2000 season. His six sacks led all NFL defensive backs and ranked second on the team.
Harrison established a career high with six interceptions in 2000 for 97 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown.
Harrison was selected as the Chargers defensive player of the year four times, as voted by his teammates (1996-97, 2000-01).
Harrison was chosen among the franchise's all-time greats when he was selected to the Chargers 40th Anniversary All- Time Team during the 2000 season.
Harrison made NFL history in 1997 when he became the first player to score touchdowns on a fumble return, interception return and kickoff return in the same season.
Harrison led the Chargers with 20 special teams tackles as a rookie in 1994.



Good bye and good luck with the rehab, Rodney. It was a pleasure watching your anachronistic brand of football for six seasons.

On the radio, someone said that they were at the game. And rodney was mouthing the words "I'm Done. That's it. I'm Done." With that, and his tears, I think his career is over.

Too Bad, I would have loved seeing him get a third ring.

He was amazing for us. Plain and simple. I didn't know that much about him before the 03 season, but realized he must be a very good player when BB released Milloy. He was a leader who will be missed.

Good luck Rodney!

I love Rodney, I really do. What a guy, it was good to see him get one last ovation while leaving the field too, for once the Foxborough "faithful" knew the signifigance of the moment.

Thank you Rodney

I remember when the media treated Harrison like an over the hill also-ran signing when the Patriots brought him on. Rodney showed them where to stick that NO RESPEC.

Godspeed, Bonecrusher.

Rodney gave a lot to this team. He was a leader on and off the field. He will surely be missed. Rodney also should one day be let in to Canton. I hope people can overlook his image and look at just how productive of a player he was for his career.

I know I'm late to the appreciation party but Rodney was my favorite player on the team so I had to chime in. He even wore my lucky number, 37, which was my high school football number. He believed it was lucky also, from what I've read. To get past the inane number bit though, he was a mean mofo on the field and coach on the field and his presence is and will be missed on the Pats defense. It was damned sad to see him go down.

sunshinekids99 wrote:Rodney gave a lot to this team. He was a leader on and off the field. He will surely be missed. Rodney also should one day be let in to Canton. I hope people can overlook his image and look at just how productive of a player he was for his career.

Agreed


He's one of a few players in NFL history to record at least 20 interceptions and 20 sacks in his career and the only player with both 30 interceptions and 30 sacks in his career!!

Bumpity Bump. He retired. His NFL career is officially over.

Thank you Rodney, enjoy your retirement and TV career.

We knew this day would come soon. Hopefully Merriweather is ready. Best of luck to Rodney, I really enjoyed his career here. One of those guys in football you had pure hatred for if he was on the other team, but adored if he was on your own.

"Each and every offseason bringing so much attention to himself. It's just really a disappointment to hear that time and time again….If you've been in the league 13, 14, 15 years or so you know if you want to play. The circus shouldn't have to go on for three to four years. It's just a disappointment. Then the media they're just so caught up and in love with Brett Favre ... It's ridiculous because a lot of guys are doing good, positive things in the National Football League and those keep things keep getting overlooked."

http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists ... nto_favre/

Good man.