Tearful James Harrison Gives Heartfelt Hall of Honor Speech

James Harrison will have a seat among the greatest Steelers of all time when he is officially inducted into the team’s Hall of Honor on Sunday. On Saturday, the group held their Hall of Honor dinner to commemorate their four inductees this year. Harrison’s speech, however, grabbed some eyes in front of the Steelers legends. He ended up tearful, thanking the organization for his career as one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers in the 2000s. He said that the traditional of excellence within the organization made him dream of becoming one of the greats in the organization.

.@jharrison9292 on being a Steeler 🥹 pic.twitter.com/5iYqmeMigM

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 29, 2023

“You know, it motivated guys like me and other guys to work as hard as you could,” Harrison said. “You were just hoping that one day, people would say that James Harrison was a Pittsburgh Steeler. To stand up here, right now, in this moment, be at this podium, and be put into that group of guys, I don’t have words right now to express how I feel.”

Harrison is one of the team’s most legendary outside linebackers. Initially joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2002, it took him years to catch on with the squad full-time, and Harrison considered giving up football. But starting in 2004, he was a long-term fixture of the Pittsburgh defense that won Super Bowls XL and XLIII. Harrison had the most memorable play of the latter game, with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown just before the half, serving as one of the top plays in NFL history. Harrison was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, a four-time All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler.

He has plenty of accolades to hang his hat on, including his legendary pick-six in the Super Bowl, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and notable counting stats. Now, he will join the best that have played for Pittsburgh in the Hall of Honor.