Pats from the Past, Episode 42: Rodney Harrison

It's time for another episode of Pats from the Past podcast. Matt Smith Paul Frillo joined by number thirty seven on your scorecard, but number one in our hearts at least, Rodney Harrison.

Horrod, How you doing, man, man? I am doing great.

Good to be home, Good to see you guys, and looking for a great Patriots game tonight.

How's it going with NBC?

Rodney?

You still love it?

I do. I'm very passionate about it.

I spent twelve years in the studio and then the last three years I've been out at the field location and was just really extremely excited for Devin mccordy getting an opportunity that he got. NBC likes Patriot guys, and he's smart and he's doing a wonderful job. Really proud of him.

Before we started here, I was actually thinking about this. Here comes Rodney Harrison driving into Patriot Place, a drive that you are familiar with for many, many times, but you're in a different partner of your life.

I am.

When you're driving in here, Rodney, what coach through your mind?

Just so many great memories, just the opportunity to be able to come out here and play and coach Bill and Robert Kraft giving me the opportunity to come out here and really just be part of something special and all the great players that I played with. But also,

Yeah, we were joking around just before we started. My guess is that Tony's memories on quite as woman fuzzy as yours. You know, for September You it couldn't be a more perfect night. He was probably wondering why it's not snowing as he was as he was driving in.

But I'll tell you this man, just talking to coach, he has a lot of respect for the Patriots organization, Coach Bill and everything that we've accomplished. And I mean those battles were epic. You know, you're talking going against Dungee and how well prepared he had his team, Peyton Manning and all the great players that they had. I mean, I can't believe I'm fifty years old when I want to go here, brother, I was, you know, twenty nine

Appreciate that. Appreciate that.

So I'm gonna put you on the spot a little bit here as you're waxing nostalgia and it's amazing what life.

You know, It's amazing what life is.

But who would have ever thought fifteen years ago that you and Tony Dungee would be together on a broadcast and doing that. That's a small world that your lives interestct like that. Do you have a favorite memory here at this stadium?

Obviously?

You want a super Bowl in Houston? Do you want a Super Bowl in Jacksonville? And those are things that I got a believer at the pinnacle of your professional football career, you let Rodney, is there something special that you remember that that takes a cake of the ultimate memory that you might have.

I think just I don't know, I don't remember the exact game, but just when Coach Belichick, I think it was when it was an AFC championship game, when he gave me a big hug and say I'm glad we

He believed in me.

He gave me a bunch of freedom where I can go out there and just play and express myself. And I just couldn't love love a coach more than I got love for Coach Belichick.

You talk about that freedom that he gave you, and I wanted to ask you about.

And it was one of the two playoff games.

I'm not sure if it was three or oh four, but when you and Ti sort of it must have been a three, because I don't think he had three picks. Yeah, and you guys kind of swapped like you were kind of up like the corner spot, like popping guys, and allowed tie to you know, just that kind of freedom. Was that something that you guys had spoken about before.

That man, and he never really questioned. He said, hey, you guys kind of do what you want to do as long as you're in a proper spot and you guys communicate. And that's the type of freedom that he allows veteran players, guys.

That he trusts.

We put so much hard work and effort in and preparations, so when we did something like that, I know he's on the sideline panicking, but you know, ty Law and I.

I mean to be able to play with a guy like Tye, a Hall.

Of Famer, you know, and Richard Seymour and Vince will Fork and those guys, I mean, I had some special players out in San Diego. But to be able to play with some Hall of famers and some guys like Willie McGinn as, Kevin Falk, Troy Brown, I mean, these guys are legends. These guys are not only are they brilliant football players, they're very smart people. And to be able to have that opportunity was just truly a blessing.

And don't tell yourself short.

You had the probably the biggest pick of that game when they went right down the field the first drive, you had the interception in the end zone, right, Is that how that all started?

Well, stepped in front.

Of We all try to we all try to set the tone, and it's not about one player. It's about the team. And you know, I can't, you don't know. I got to mention my boy Tom Brady. You know, just seeing Tom get the love that he got last week coming back to the stadium, and just seeing how old of a man he was.

You see how tired that dude was. He was tired, breathing hard. I thought, TV.

Now look at Ruddie. I mean, you're you've got a job that takes you to Where were you last Sunday?

You're in New York right for the Giants Dallas game.

Kansas City before that.

Yeah, And I don't know if you saw this. Did you see the guys on the sideline that were there. You mentioned Kevin Falk earlier, Kevin Fox in the front where all the former players were, and he's chanting Brady Brady. Great, there's Dan Graham, you know, Kevin Fock, Darrell Reeves came back for the game to see that kind of close knit rush hokestein, you know, Dan Copen al those guys coming back to just want to appreciate Tom. That made

And it also shows you how much of an impact Tom has had, not only just on the guys that he works with, you know, as far as the offense, but everybody. I mean, Tom has made such an impact. When I came here, we used to have lunch together. We used to sit down and have conversations and just talk about life, talk about perspective, and I just see, you know, Tom, twenty years later, he's you can see his personality. You see him smiling, laughing and being the

What has it been like working with with Devin? You know you have mentioned that you have all the former Patriots coming back. What's it like been a teammate with him now and it's.

Just a very humble young man, a guy that has such a beautiful future. I mean, he was a heck of a football player, great free safety. I think he was the best free safety that played under Belichick in the Patriots uniform. A guy that it matters to him and you can tell with his preparation the conversations that we've had. I try to offer him a little bit of advice, but just a family man, great husband.

I'm just extremely proud.

I never thought that NBC would give another Patriots safety and opportunity, So I felt really proud of that because I take pride in my job. I take pride in trying to do the right thing, being consistent. It's been fifteen years and people, look, oh, what happened to You're not in the studio. Well, God had something different from me. I went from the studio to being on the field where I can interact with players, coaches, general managers and just being so close to the game. And Devin's doing

Yeah, maybe NBC knew what a tandem that would have been. Oh my god, with the free safety like Devi and Thenool definite.

I definitely wanted his contract, but.

Oh yeah, yeah, it's not a big sample size. Rodney and your student. You're so you're watching everything. How have they done? And you don't replace Devin mccordy. You don't replace Rodney Hasson, So how what have you seen that they're trying to do? Because he was such an integral part of the communication, making sure that everybody's in the right spot and everything like that. What have you seen as they're trying to.

Replace, Well, I think the players that they get. Obviously, you can't just learn one position. You have to be able to learn multiple positions. And if you can't communicate, you can't play with the Patriots.

I don't care if.

You're a corner, because at times, even if you're a corner, Marcus Jones, he's playing safety. Sometimes you know Kyle Dugart, he's playing deep middle part of the field, but he's also playing linebacker, but he's also playing strong safety in the box. So you have to be able to know and be able to communicate multiple positions. And when I

Could you have played you know the way they do it?

Could you have figured it out?

See the difference would have been And the reason why I used to hit guys up high because guys would actually come and tell me, hey, rod come on avoiding my knees because I'm trying to make a living. I got three kids and a wife, and I'm like, cool, I don't mind. I don't want to hit you in the knees. But if you're asking me, I can go full speed and hit a guy in his knees now, as opposed to hitting him up high trying to protect him, then I would have made the necessary adjustments. Definitely.

We're having a conversation with former Patriot and Patriot Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison later this fall.

Next month. To be exact, two people.

Are actually going into the Patriots Hall of Fame. The people's choice from a voting standpoint. Linebacker Mike Grabil, who has shared many memories with Yes, an offensive line coach or coach for that matter, Dante Scarneckie to know that, Yes, Robert Kraft put him in as a contributor for his decades of service. I mean, Sky was coaching when Tip was playing.

Let me just tell you, when I was here, we had talent on an offensive line, but we didn't. It wasn't like we had a bunch of first rounders. And Dante, he was the driving force behind our tough mentality offensive offensively, making sure that the offensive line was intact. The guys played physical, they played smart, they played well with Tom Brady and just bringing that consistency for so many years. As far as Vrabel, we always knew that Vrabel was

Man.

It almost brings tears to my eyes because you know, when you're playing with these guys, you see how much they sacrifice. You've seen the sacrifices to people realize, look at Tom Brady, they don't understand, you know, the sacrifice that he made to get to where he's at, you know, and all of us. You know, it's just it's just really really special. And just being back here with you guys. You guys have treated me well for so many years and I just appreciate you.

Thank you.

So he wanted to talk to you about you and the Hall of Fame. Obviously you're already in here in Foxborough, but the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and you know, Matt has some notes here that he put together. And you know there's only two players in the history of football with thirty sacks and thirty picks. Ray Lewis is the other one and the other one sitting to my left. So do you think about it a lot and does it frustrate you at all that you haven't gotten more of a push.

No, I don't think about it a lot, and it doesn't really frustrate me because the people that know me most, they know the work that I put in and the impact that I've tried to make on my teammates in the community. And that's what's important to me. If my teammates can look at me and say, we respect you, we respect.

Your hard work.

And if I can make a difference in the community like I've been able to make the last thirty years in the National Football League, that's the thing that makes me a Hall of Famer in my eyes. Okay, being a Hall of Fame dad, being a great husband, you know, being committed to my family. Those are the things that are so important to me. If they name me Hall of Fame, that would be great. If they don't name

When you're not here, I will embarrassing.

But then you know, then you know when you start to think is it political and is it personal? And at the end of the day, I don't have enough time and effort to sit back and wonder why somebody's not.

Voting for me.

It smart and it's great way to be I mean, so be it for people like Paul and myself to talk about it. But Coach Bill, as you like to say, has made it known to many people. There's only two guys in the Hall of Fame. There's only two guys in the history of the game, thirty picks, thirty sacks, and one of them's in there. Why isn't the other guy in there? And I think it's a legitimate question, that's all.

And you know you talk about the different things. And again, I know how classy you are, and I've really enjoyed covering you, you know, throughout your time here, so I know you won't get into it, but it's you know, you look at these these accolades and Pro Bowls are lacking because that's a popularity contest. All pros are not, you know, like all pro is the best in the in the in the league. I don't care who's who's

But there's something needs to change there.

Ronnie's got some studying to do before he gets going on for his real job. One last question for me, I'm going to put you on the spot again. Best team that you were on, the four team or the seven team.

I would say the four team because we finished. I don't care how much talent you have.

I don't care.

You know what you accomplished. Number wise, if you can't finish, then you know we're not. You can't consider us the best team oh four, Then you think about it. We were trying to repeat. Not consciously we're trying to repeat, you know, because you're erase it and you try to move on to the next season. But to be able to win back to back championships is something that hasn't been done in over twenty years.

My homes has tried to do it. They can't do it. You know.

Brady's tried to do it. He couldn't do it with Tampa. It's very difficult to do. And I'm just like I said, this is my moment opportunity to say thank you to all the fans that have supported me, that have been here for me, cheered for me, raised me up, lifted me up when I got injured, encouraged me, and have prayed for me. So I thank these fans. I thank you guys for this opportunity.

His name is Rodney Harrison.

You can watch him tonight and every Sunday night on Sunday Night Football Football Night in America.

Don't miss it.

It's the best pregame show around, and I say that with not a hint of hyperbole.

It is the best pregame Jurun couldn't see you kidding.

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