James Harrison Reconsiders Retirement Over Intrusive Schedule

It doesn’t matter if you’re a multimillionaire or living paycheck to paycheck – no one likes to work over the holidays. But veteran Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison is in a more enviable position than most, in that he can simply choose to resign if he doesn’t like his rostered days.

That just might be the case with Harrison, who told his fans via Instagram that “retirement sounds better than ever when you realize you’d have to work on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.”

Of those three holiday games, two will be nationally televised – a primetime Thanksgiving night clash in Indianapolis, rounding out NBC’s triple-header, and a mid-afternoon grudge match against Baltimore on Christmas Day. The third, a 1pm ET meeting with Cleveland, will be shared with the rest of the league on New Year’s Day, the final Sunday of the regular season.

Harrison has previously stated he won’t make his official decision until April 24, but feels a little perturbed at the limited family time his final season is set to offer. A dedicated father, Harrison has always allowed his two sons to make the decision for him over the last few offseasons. This year, one told him to keep playing and the other to retire, so Deebo decided to recommence training with the aim of clearing his mind and reaching a decision in the future.

Steeler fans still feel the intimidating pass rusher has one last productive season in him. With the team on the cusp of challenging for another Super Bowl, Harrison may be tempted to take the “Jerome Bettis” approach and play a bit part on a heavyweight contender. On a personal level, Harrison needs just three sacks to break the franchise record; an accolade that should all but ensure a claim to a gold jacket one day.

But perhaps the deal can be sweetened, provided the Steelers do, in fact, want him back. The NFL isn’t exactly known for resting players like the NBA or MLB, but maybe Mike Tomlin can afford to give his 38-year-old linebacker some choice days off to spend with friends and family. Who knows; that late into the season, it might even do Harrison a world of good as the Steelers gear up for another playoff run.