Rodney Harrison: A career missing proper recognition
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (BVM) – Rodney Harrison wasn’t done being around the game of football after his 15-year NFL career came to a close. With two Super Bowls worth of knowledge to share, Harrison brought his insight to the booth for Sunday nights. The former hard–hitting safety has found similar success both on the field and off of it, once delivering over a decade’s worth of high–level play.
As one of the most important cogs to the New England Patriots’ dynasty runs, Harrison’s career goes on further than just his reputation on the field.
Infamously known for his hard hits, @Rodney_Harrison sits down with Peyton for a game of "clean or dirty" 🤣 pic.twitter.com/4AaRLBC4OP
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) February 3, 2021
Rodney Harrison’s high school, college career
Harrison attended Marian Catholic High School in Illinois, becoming one of the most successful players in program history by not only doing it on the field, but as a standout in both basketball and track. After his star-studded prep career, Harrison made the move away from the city of Chicago to Western Illinois after many programs around the country were unwilling to wait for his test scores to come through.
At WIU, Harrison would become the program’s record holder for both career tackles and tackles in a game. From 1991 to 1993, the Leathernecks safety found his name on All-American lists, earning a first-team nod his junior season after helping Western Illinois to back-to-back seven–win seasons. With a growing buzz, Harrison decided to put his name into the 1994 NFL Draft.
Rodney Harrison’s NFL career
Harrison was selected by the San Diego Chargers with a fifth–round pick in the 1994 draft. Although the rookie safety wouldn’t start during his opening year, the Chargers enjoyed their most successful season to date. Behind an 11-5 campaign, San Diego would make its first and only Super Bowl appearance where they would be taken down by the San Francisco 49ers. The following season was much of the same for San Diego safety as the Chargers cracked the Wild Card game for their final playoff appearance during Harrison’s tenure with the team.
Harrison would finally get his chance to shine in 1996 as a starter, posting another season with five interceptions. The hard-hitting safety would go on to appear in two Pro Bowls during his nine-year career with the Chargers, earning a first-team All-Pro selection in 1998.
After his release in 2002, the Chargers thought the move was coming towards the end of Harrison’s time in the league. Fortunately for the New England Patriots, it wasn’t.
The Patriots were looking to rebound following a down season after their first Super Bowl victory. Missing the playoffs in 2002, Bill Belichick and his staff were looking to resurrect the team’s defense and that meant bringing in the then-31-year-old safety. The move would pay quick dividends as Harrison enjoyed an All-Pro season while narrowly missing Defensive Player of the Year honors. The return to elite level play would also help the Patriots to their second Super Bowl in three seasons.
Harrison’s run with the team would continue the following year as the veteran safety helped New England to a second straight Super Bowl win, picking off Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, twice, in the final game.
In his six years with the team, Harrison racked up first and second-team All-Pro selections, while helping the Patriots to two of their three Super Bowl trophies during the early 2000s. Anchoring the team’s defense during his 30s, Harrison would prove to be a rare commodity in the league playing until his age 36 season.
The Chargers and Patriots safety would call it a career in 2009, announcing his retirement from the game.
Rodney Harrison’s post-NFL career, net worth and personal life
After the end of his 15-year NFL career, Harrison decided to stay around the game serving as a commentator on NBC’s “Football Night in America”, which the former NFL great has played a part in for the last 14 years. Along with his work on television, Harrison has also been busy away from the game, with his wife, Erika, and four children.
Throughout his NFL career, Harrison accrued over $28 million during his time in the league and currently has a net worth of $11.5 million.
Rodney Harrison waiting on Hall of Fame
Harrison’s reputation as a “dirty” player likely stunted his ability to make Pro Bowls during his career, and the long-time safety has had a difficult time getting his name mentioned farther along in the Hall of Fame process after gaining eligibility in 2013. With one of the more impressive resumes for a safety in league history, it may just be a matter of time before Harrison gets the nod to go to Canton.
