We’ve been asked on various radio shows what we think will happen to James Harrison in the wake of his statements last week.
Florio thinks players should be exempt from punishment for what happens during the lockout, but my guess was that the Steelers would try to handle it in-house, possibly with a fine. If that happened, the NFLPA* may have a problem with it.
New Ohio State linebackers coach Mike Vrabel, who has been very involved with the lockout, spoke to our friend Tom Curran on WEEI about the issue, saying the NFLPA* would have “an issue” with Harrison being fined.
“I think there are things that you should be able to do and say - more importantly say,” Vrabel said. "[Harrison’s comments are] not conduct detrimental to any team other than if Mike Tomlin had an issue with the way [Harrison] was referring to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Roger’s got big shoulders. Roger understands. I would say to Roger or anybody else that had a problem with it, I would say what Bill Belichick said to us: To [those who] much is given, much is expected. And Roger is given a lot in form of compensation and being in the situation that he’s in so there’s a lot expected of him. And if that means taking the higher road and calling James and trying to figure out how to get this thing settled between them or whatever issue they have going on.”
On this issue, we more or less agree with Vrabel. We suspect Goodell would have already nipped this issue in the bud if he was allowed to talk to Harrison, and that talk probably wouldn’t have ended in serious punishment.