The steepest in the 4 fines the former Steelers linebacker James Harrison incurred in 2010 stemmed from the vicious helmet-to-helmet strike he delivered on Cleveland Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, knocking him out that has a concussion. The hit went with no penalty on the field, however the N.F.L., intent on meting out stiffer self-discipline for violations of participant basic safety, docked Harrison $seventy five,000 — at the least a number of which, Harrison claimed with a podcast Thursday, was offset by his coach, Mike Tomlin.
Harrison, showing up on Barstool Athletics’s “Heading Deep” podcast, informed his former Pittsburgh teammate Willie Colon that Tomlin — who nevertheless coaches the Steelers — slipped him an envelope shortly once the great was levied.
“Dude, I’m telling you — seventy five,” Harrison said, referencing the level of the good. “And I ain’t gonna lie to you: When that happened, suitable, the G-est matter Mike Tomlin at any time did, he handed me an envelope after that. I ain’t gonna say what, but he handed me an envelope after that.”
Harrison recounted the story unprompted, just after Colon requested him with regard to the heftiest good he absorbed throughout his 15 N.F.L. seasons.
“Pay attention, on anything I really like, on my daddy’s grave, I strike that gentleman with about max 50 p.c of what I had,” Harrison stated of Massaquoi. “And I just hit him due to the fact I required him to Permit unfastened from the ball. If I had realized they was gonna fine me $seventy five,000, I might have made an effort to get rid of him.”
Harrison’s great was later on minimized to $fifty,000. Despite the fact that Harrison did not explicitly say exactly what the envelope contained, the mere insinuation that Tomlin compensated him in almost any way evoked comparison to your so-named Bountygate scandal, wherein the New Orleans Saints’ coaching staff was resolute over A 3-year time period to obtain presented payouts to defensive players who hurt opponents, In line with a league investigation. The Saints’ mentor, Sean Payton, didn't pay players himself, nevertheless the league suspended him for the 12 months, partly, for not halting the process immediately after he was designed aware of it.
It truly is unclear whether the league will talk about the make a difference with Harrison and Tomlin; a spokesman with the N.File.L. declined to touch upon Friday. League rules stipulate that groups and its members are prohibited from spending a participant’s good.
In a press release, Steelers President Artwork Rooney II stated he was optimistic that Harrison’s allegations are untrue. “I am quite specified very little like this ever took place,” Rooney reported. “I do not know why James would create a comment like this, but there is basically no basis for believing nearly anything similar to this.”
Harrison on Friday posted a statement to his Instagram account that seemingly walked again his earlier remark. “Mike T. Has not compensated me for Click here for more info hurting anyone or Looking to damage a person or place a bounty on Anyone!” it read.
Harrison, combined with the Corridor of Fame safety Troy Polamalu, was the snarling encounter from the Steelers’ defense in the 2000s, once they gained two Tremendous Bowls. The league’s defensive participant from the year in 2008, Harrison created a popularity for administering violent hits that teetered over the boundaries of legality. Once the strike on Massaquoi in 2010, Harrison and Tomlin argued that it had been clean up and didn’t benefit a high-quality. Tomlin, at the time, also stated he favored more durable penalties and rule improvements to further improve participant security.
A member in the N.F.L.’s competition committee, Payton, along with the Saints’ Group, have experienced a combative partnership with the league considering the fact that Bountygate, and it has only deepened, after the egregious non-simply call that probable denied New Orleans a brilliant Bowl berth following the 2018 period. In the course of a radio job interview on Thursday, Payton all but challenged N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell to research the Steelers, declaring he would be “stunned” if the league did and that individuals “shouldn’t keep their breath” looking ahead to it to take action.
“I do think what occurred with us back again in 2011 in so many ways was a sham, and but there wasn’t quite a bit we could do with it,” Payton stated on one hundred and five.seven FM in Baltimore. “The gamers had been vindicated, but from a league or coaching standpoint, there is no union, there is not any illustration.”
He added, “That’ll be something that’s tucked away or beneath the rug at Park Avenue. They’ll look into it briefly. Hear, don’t get me begun on that. I dropped $6 million in wage, and honestly it absolutely was something that I’ll by no means certainly get over for the reason that I know the way it had been dealt with And just how it absolutely was operate and the reasons at the rear of it. That’s just the reality.”
The steepest of the 4 fines the former Steelers linebacker James Harrison incurred in 2010 stemmed from a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit he delivered on Cleveland Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, knocking him out by using a concussion. The hit went without penalty on the sphere, although the N.F.L., intent on meting out stiffer self-control for violations of participant security, docked Harrison $75,000 — no less than a number of which, Harrison claimed with a podcast Thursday, was offset by his coach, Mike Tomlin.
Harrison, appearing on Barstool Sports activities’s “Heading Deep” podcast, explained to his former Pittsburgh teammate Willie Colon that Tomlin — who nevertheless coaches the Steelers — slipped him an envelope soon after the fine was levied.
“Dude, I’m telling you — 75,” Harrison explained, referencing the quantity of the fine. “And that i ain’t gonna lie to you personally: When that happened, suitable, the G-est issue Mike Tomlin ever did, he handed me an envelope following that. I ain’t gonna say what, but he handed me an envelope after that.”
Harrison recounted the story unprompted, after Colon requested him about the heftiest wonderful he absorbed across his 15 N.File.L. seasons.
“Hear, on everything I love, on my daddy’s grave, I strike that person with about max fifty per cent of what I had,” Harrison mentioned of Massaquoi. “And that i just strike him for the reason that I needed him to Enable unfastened of the ball. If I had realized they was gonna wonderful me $75,000, I would have attempted to kill him.”
Harrison’s fantastic was later minimized to $50,000. Though Harrison didn't explicitly say just what the envelope contained, the mere insinuation that Tomlin compensated him in almost any way evoked comparison to the so-called Bountygate scandal, where the New Orleans Saints’ coaching employees was resolute around a three-yr period to acquire provided payouts to defensive gamers who hurt opponents, In keeping with a league investigation. The Saints’ coach, Sean Payton, did not pay out players himself, though the league suspended him for the calendar year, in part, for not stopping the program just after he was designed mindful of it.
It is unclear if the league will talk about the make a difference with Harrison and Tomlin; a spokesman to the N.F.L. declined to touch upon Friday. League procedures stipulate that groups and its customers are prohibited from paying out a participant’s good.
In an announcement, Steelers President Art Rooney II said he was optimistic that Harrison’s allegations are untrue. “I am quite selected nothing such as this at any time transpired,” Rooney explained. “I do not know why James would make a comment similar to this, but there is only no basis for believing just about anything like this.”
Harrison on Friday posted a statement to his Instagram account that seemingly walked again his before comment. “Mike T. Hasn't paid me for hurting someone or Endeavoring to harm an individual or set a bounty on Any one!” it examine.
Harrison, along with the Corridor of Fame protection Troy Polamalu, was the snarling facial area of your Steelers’ defense during the 2000s, whenever they gained two Tremendous Bowls. The league’s defensive player with the 12 months in Click here for more info 2008, Harrison created a track record for administering violent hits that teetered on the boundaries of legality. After the strike on Massaquoi in 2010, Harrison and Tomlin argued that it was cleanse and didn’t advantage a fantastic. Tomlin, at time, also stated he favored more durable penalties and rule alterations to enhance participant safety.
A member of your N.F.L.’s competition committee, Payton, plus the Saints’ Business, have experienced a combative marriage While using the league given that Bountygate, and it's got only deepened, once the egregious non-call that probable denied New Orleans an excellent Bowl berth following the 2018 year. Through a radio interview on Thursday, Payton all but challenged N.File.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell to analyze the Steelers, indicating he will be “stunned” In case the league did and that people “shouldn’t keep their breath” expecting it to do so.
“I do think what befell with us back in 2011 in so numerous ways was a sham, and however there wasn’t a great deal we could do with it,” Payton explained on one zero five.7 FM in Baltimore. “The players had been vindicated, but from a league or coaching standpoint, there's no union, there is no illustration.”
He added, “That’ll be something that’s tucked absent or under the rug at Park Avenue. They’ll check into it briefly. Listen, don’t get me commenced on that. I misplaced $6 million in wage, and Actually it was something which I’ll under no circumstances genuinely recover from since I know how it absolutely was handled And just how it had been run and The explanations driving it. That’s just the reality.”