Patriots Rumors: James Harrison turned down offer to return for 2018 season
According to recent New England Patriots rumors, linebacker James Harrison turned down an offer from the team to play in 2018, opting instead to retire.
Recent New England Patriots rumors have involved the 2018 NFL Draft. New England has a few needs that they will look to address in next week’s draft that they weren’t able to do in free agency.
One of the areas that the Patriots could use some help is at linebacker. Adding some youth and talent to the position wouldn’t be a bad idea, as injuries ruined the group last season. One player the Patriots were hoping would help shore up the second level of their defense was James Harrison.
Harrison was signed by the Patriots the final week of the regular season in 2017 after the Pittsburgh Steelers waived him. He showed he had plenty left in the tank, getting five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in his first appearance with New England.
Harrison’s role only grew in the following weeks. He saw his snap percentage increase throughout the playoffs, becoming an almost every down player in Super Bowl 52 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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With his pass rushing chops, New England would have found a place for Harrison this season. However, Harrison decided to retire from the NFL, announcing his decision earlier this week. According to recent Patriots rumors, the team did try to keep Harrison in the fold.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette recently caught up with Harrison. In the interview, Harrison revealed that the Patriots did, in fact, extend him an offer to play with the team in 2018. Ultimately, it was an offer that Harrison declined, citing his family as the deciding factor.
"“I knew I wasn’t going to be at home, so that’s really what it came down to,’’ Harrison told the Post-Gazette in a phone interview Wednesday.“When it came down to it, I couldn’t take another year, 6-8 months, where I’m not there,’’ said Harrison, who lives with his family in Pittsburgh. “It just wasn’t worth it.”"
His sons playing tackle football is a reason that Harrison shared for him stepping away from the NFL. Harrison promised his sons, who are eight and 10 years old, that he would be there when they played tackle football to ensure that they are doing it correctly and safely. That time is now for Harrison.
Harrison finished his career with 84.5 sacks, 80.5 of which came during his time with the Steelers. Harrison was one of the most vaunted pass rushers during his time, taking a tough path to his stardom as he was undrafted out of Kent State.