Steelers activate Gilbert and release James Harrison

:(

Quote :

The Steelers activated offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert from the Reserve/Suspended by Commissioner List to the active roster, it was announced today.

To make room on the roster, the Steelers released linebacker James Harrison. Harrison, the team’s all-time sack leader with 80.5, originally signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent on April 22, 2002. He’s started 107-of-177 regular-season games played for Pittsburgh (117-of-192 in his NFL career).

http://www.steelers.com/news/transactions/article-4/Steelers-activate-Gilbert-release-Harrison/b9cd5f83-e502-4159-9220-4a538143c3a5

And so ends the career of Harrison in Pittsburgh.

The end of an era, but we shouldn't be surprised. I just wish they would have released him after the season. Then again, he seemed pretty disgruntled, so it's possible he was starting to be a distraction. That's just speculation.

Could be. I wonder if that injury he had took away what was left of his game?

Overall though, Watt has displaced him in most facets of the game. Harrison's usage was extremely limited.

Another thought, if Jarvis Jones developed as they hoped, would Harrison even have been back?

If he was becoming a distraction it had to be done. Otherwise I wish this had been handled differently. I think they owed him the respect of the last 2 games. This would almost be like releasing Lambert

Wow. Don't read Twitter. So many Steelers "fans" hoping Harrison goes to N.E. and wins a SB with them.

Damn, sucks to see Deebo go especially right now before a playoff run.

jak341 wrote:

And so ends the career of Harrison in Pittsburgh.

I think we will re-sign Deebo before the end of the season...

jak341 wrote:

Wow. Don't read Twitter. So many Steelers "fans" hoping Harrison goes to N.E. and wins a SB with them.

Yeah right. if he does that he's gonna lose an AFC championship game with them

jak341 wrote:

Wow. Don't read Twitter. So many Steelers "fans" hoping Harrison goes to N.E. and wins a SB with them.

I don't understand that mentality. I'm a Steelers fan first and foremost. I was a Steelers fan before any of the current players were alive, and I'll be a fan after they're long gone. I'd never put an individual player above the team.

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

Wow. Don't read Twitter. So many Steelers "fans" hoping Harrison goes to N.E. and wins a SB with them.

I don't understand that mentality. I'm a Steelers fan first and foremost. I was a Steelers fan before any of the current players were alive, and I'll be a fan after they're long gone. I'd never put an individual player above the team.

Probably the same people who said they boycotted the NFL and are still watching the games on the weekend

jak341 wrote:

Wow. Don't read Twitter. So many Steelers "fans" hoping Harrison goes to N.E. and wins a SB with them.

Anyone who wishes that is not a fan. Just an idiot dressed up in Steeler's clothes. Maybe they ought to root for them just for spite.

Harrison made a comment that if he knew how little he would be used he would have signed somewhere else. I'm sure there was a lot going on with him in the locker room that was distracting.

Supposably he might be back

solardave wrote:

jak341 wrote:

Wow. Don't read Twitter. So many Steelers "fans" hoping Harrison goes to N.E. and wins a SB with them.

Anyone who wishes that is not a fan. Just an idiot dressed up in Steeler's clothes. Maybe they ought to root for them just for spite.

It's amazing how ignorant many so called fans are. I try not to read stories about the Steelers on ESPN or NFL.com because there's always some dumbass who thinks Tomlin is an awful coach and should be fired. Anyhow, Harrison will be missed but it was time. It does suck it came this time of year but it seems it was mutual.

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

Wow. Don't read Twitter. So many Steelers "fans" hoping Harrison goes to N.E. and wins a SB with them.

I don't understand that mentality. I'm a Steelers fan first and foremost. I was a Steelers fan before any of the current players were alive, and I'll be a fan after they're long gone. I'd never put an individual player above the team.

Agree 100%. I understand the feeling that this doesn't feel right with Harrison but I don't know the details. I have zero patience with any "Steelers fan" who'd wish a legend to the cheats to win a SB. Harrison has even been critical of them in the past. He's the only Steeler I remember actually making comments about Spygate. I guess for an unemployed player it might be a business decision if he is offered to play somewhere including there. But I'm not sure he'd happy with fans wishing him to NE either. The thing that gets me is they couldn't wait 2 more games.

Gerry Dulac wrote a good article at PPG and saying it was unprecedented:

Quote :

HOUSTON — At a time when the Steelers have had one dose of bad news after another, they apparently had no problem inflicting some more on themselves.

The decision to release James Harrison, a player they kept around all season for his presence, stability and leadership, with two games remaining in the regular season is surprising and almost unprecedented for a player of his stature.

Just like they discovered with Hines Ward in a 2011 midseason game against Jacksonville, the Steelers found out that Harrison, at age 39, could not play anymore.

But unlike Ward and another player of great stature they discovered couldn’t play anymore — Troy Polamalu — the Steelers decided not to wait till the end of the season to release their all-time sacks leader and former NFL defensive player of the year. In the process, they denied the author of the greatest and longest individual play in Super Bowl history of another run at the Super Bowl.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/12/25/james-harrison-released-steelers-roster-moves-nfl-mike-tomlin-kevin-colbert/stories/201712250057

Hes visiting the Pats* today, please god no :(((((

Gah. That was predictable. Don’t do it Deebo.

TollingtheBell26 wrote:

Hes visiting the Pats** today, please god no :(((((

Wonderful.

You beat me to it. Here's more info ...

Harrison Visiting Patriots*

Reports flooded in this morning that James Harrison was spotted at Logan International Airport presumably headed to Gillette Stadium.

Now those rumors appear to be true. Several sources are now confirming that Harrison is working out for the Patriots* this afternoon.

https://www.steelernation.com/harrison-visiting-Patriots*/

If he signs with them I'll loose all respect for him.

They’re going to sign him. Blah.

solardave wrote:

If he signs with them I'll loose all respect for him.

Why? Guy wants to work and wants to win. Steelers cut him, he didn't quit on the team.

Maybe it's all business and just wanting to play for him. I don't know there's a lot left in his tank. I think he would have played more here if there was. Likely they get him there to pick his brain. It's a sickening thought though. I can't imagine a Steeler legend like him playing for them. Hard to believe they'd take him with the Spygate comments he made. Screw the cheats

I wonder what the real story behind this is:

Quote :

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the decision to release linebacker James Harrison was strictly business. He said he cut Harrison because he was the most expendable player on the roster.

“We make the decisions we feel give us the very best chance to win,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “We needed the people we kept. We needed to activate Marcus Gilbert. There’s really nothing more to it than that.”

That quote might raise a few eyebrows considering one of the players Tomlin kept was defensive lineman Daniel McCullers, who has played just 11 defensive snaps all season. McCullers is in the final year of his rookie contract, and there is little reason to believe he’ll be back with the team next season.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/12/26/james-harrison-Patriots*-steelers-release-nfl-mike-tomlin/stories/201712260101