Steelers Icon James Harrison Ready to Fight former Rival
Divisonal rivalries never die, as it turns out. Not between former Pittsburgh Steelers intimidator James Harrison and one-time Cincinnati Bengals showman Chad Johnson, anyway.
Along with fellow erstwhile Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, Harrison appeared on Shannon Sharpe and Jonson’s talk show, “Nightcap,” on Wednesday at Radio Row in New Orleans. At one point, the conversation heated up, with the co-hosts and guests sizing up whether Johnson could take Harrison in a fight.
The two previously bantered about an MMA-style exhibition on X in October.
Porter pointed out that Harrison’s stature would likely suit him well. Johnson bragged about his own advantage, and the other three bursted out in laughter.
“Hey, Peezy, you know how the AFC North is,” Sharpe joked to Porter. “Enemies forever!”
What Chance Would Johnson Have?
Johnson, already wound up, continued: “I don’t like that people look at size, and they determine wins and losses based off size. You saw David and Goliath. Remember that story, right?”
“Man, that was the Bible,” Porter interrupted.
Following some banter about whether Harrison reads scripture, a worked-up Johnson went on, saying, “This ain’t no joke. Y’all take my life for a joke? My life ain’t no joke. On my kids, I’m gonna fuck you up.”
Porter turned to Harrison and Sharpe, likely unsure if the back-and-forth was playful or not, then Johnson tried catching Porter up. He let the former Pittsburgh standout know he was serious.
“I put that on my kids, though,” Johnson said. “You know I don’t play about my kids. I got 200 of them.”
Harrison, who’d won the 2008 AP Defensive Player of the Year award with the Steelers, said that he’d been baptized in the past year, and that Johnson was pushing him to do something unholy. He didn’t earn the nickname “Deebo” with the Steelers for nothing.
The linebacker’s reputation on the field preceded him. Just Google his wince-worthy hits on Colt McCoy and Mohamed Massaquoi, among others.
“I’ve been trying to hold this thing inside of me for a long time,” Harrison said. “Because ever since I got, like, fined by Roger Goodell for $75,000, I’ve been wanting to kill somebody. I think you might be the person. I think God done brought you to me.”
“That’s fine, that’s fine, that’s fine, that’s fine,” Johnson repeated, eager to respond. “Whatever you wanna do. Matter of fact, if you beat me, I’ll had $75,000 to your purse if you beat me. How about that? So you get your money back. That’s how serious I am.”
“You might as well just write that (check) right now,” Harrison said flatly.
Could Harrison and Johnson Really Fight?
Harrison said he could be ready to square up with Johnson right away. Sharpe pointed out that they’d need time to sell it, possibly by August, and Johnson allowed half a second for Harrison to form a response.
“Now he quiet,” Johnson prodded. “Now he quiet. He quiet. Soft-ass. Soft-ass. Soft-ass. You soft, boy. I see through all that shit. I see through all that muscle. Shit ain’t ’bout nothing, boy. You got the right one. You got the right one, baby.”
Harrison attempted to reason with Johnson, who then made a Hellen Keller joke to say he wasn’t hearing it. Harrison then told Johnson he was trying to make him laugh.
“Laugh at what? Because whatever you smile with gonna be missing,” Johnson said.
As Johnson casually punched the air, Sharpe said his podcast co-host asked for what would be coming if the two former Associated Press first-team All-Pros are to scuffle.
“Oh, I’m gonna give him everything he looking for,” Harrison said.