Patriots safety Rodney Harrison formally announced his retirement on Wednesday and fled for the confines of the NBC TV booth.
So will Harrison's career earn him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Consider his credentials: A two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Harrison played 15 seasons (nine with the Chargers, six with the Patriots) and won two Super Bowls with New England in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
He's the all-time sack leader among defensive backs with 30.5 QB take-downs. And with 34 interceptions, he's the only player in league history to have 30 sacks and picks.
And Harrison was one of the NFL's fiercest hitters. He even drew a reputation as a "dirty player," a label the safety rejected.
"People have called me a dirty player. I'm a very passionate player," Harrison said Wednesday morning in a conference call. "I also understand that this is not volleyball. This is a very violent, physical game, and if you hit someone in the mouth, they're not going to be your friend. That's what the game of football is."
His 2007 suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing policy could be a mark against Harrison's Hall chances. He served a four-game ban and acknowledged that he used HGH in an effort to speed his recovery from an injury.
"I had so much pride about trying to do things right," Harrison said tolday. "I made such a huge mistake in that situation and disappointed so many people, including myself. When I made that mistake, I wanted other guys and kids to learn from that."
So weigh in with your opinion, will Harrison end up in Canton?
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