Nov 4, 2014 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – The way James Harrison has played the past two weeks, some might think the Steelers linebacker might start eyeing a return next season.

They would be wrong.

Despite recording back-to-back two-sack games, Harrison remains adamant that this season will be his last in the NFL.

Then again, he thought he had retired, announcing as much just prior to the start of the season in a ceremony at Steelers headquarters.

“Nah. The way my body feels after games, coming in Monday, I’m working out and all of that, it’s getting too hard,” Harrison said. “The workouts are getting to be harder than the games. I can’t see another year.”

It might help if the 36-year-old former NFL Defensive Player of the Year eased up a bit during those workouts. But that’s just not in his DNA.

Despite recording seven tackles, two sacks and four quarterback hits in Pittsburgh’s 43-23 victory over Baltimore Sunday night, Harrison was back in the weight room Monday. On Tuesday, he posted a video online of himself doing pushups in the Steelers’ weight room – with 300-pound center Maurkice Pouncey sitting on his back.

The Steelers (6-3) have a game Sunday at New York against the Jets (1-8) and Harrison still isn’t fully back in game shape after re-signing six weeks ago following injuries to linebackers Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones.

Harrison spent the 2013 season in Cincinnati after being released by the Steelers in a cost-cutting move, but head coach Mike Tomlin and others had kept an open line with the former Pro Bowl linebacker.

In Tomlin’s case, he didn’t have an option. Harrison lives just down the street.

“He’s one of those guys who’s a Steeler for life, regardless of what uniform he wears,” Tomlin said. “He respects our shared history (and) we respect our shared history. So I think it just naturally makes it easier to come back together. Decisions that are made in this business are tough ones but they’re just that – they’re business, not personal. We took it as such, and I think he took it as such, and I think it made it easier for us to come back together.”

So, too, did some calls from Brett Keisel, Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor, each encouraging Harrison to return.

Keisel’s glad he made that call, not just because of Harrison’s play, but because of the intangibles he brings to a team with many young players.

“He’s been such a difference on this team,” Keisel said. “The biggest thing with James is his work ethic. These young guys, they get to see it on a daily basis. They get to see what makes James great. It’s not just showing up at the stadium and playing. It’s the little things every day. He works his tail off every day. Watch him run in practice. Watch how many half-gassers he runs during practice. It’s in the 20s. It’s important to him. That’s why he’s a great player. It’s not like he just fell out of the sky. He works at it. He works his tail off, and it’s good for this team to see it.”

Harrison has been a big part of Pittsburgh’s defense that has been revitalized the past two weeks, recording seven sacks and five takeaways.

Harrison’s return was built out of respect for his teammates and Steelers history. That’s why it was special for him to move into third-place on the team’s all-time sack list Sunday, passing, ironically, the player the Steelers were honoring that night with a jersey number retirement.

“Joe Greene,” Harrison said when asked if he knew who he surpassed.

Someday, the Steelers might have a similar ceremony for Harrison. And maybe some of the highlights that will be shown on the stadium’s video board will include plays from Harrison’s final season.

“I’m not going to lie and say I missed football. I was comfortable where I was,” said Harrison, who has 70 career sacks, including 68 with the Steelers.

Now, he’s making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable.

“Instead of coming back and just being another body, I got an opportunity to come back and contribute,” Harrison said. “I give a lot of praise to God for that. He’s driving the bus. I’m just the vehicle that he’s using right now.”

Tomlin said Tuesday that Polamalu (knee sprain), Shazier (ankle) and safety Shamarko Thomas (hamstring) will not play against the Jets. … Taylor, who has been out since fracturing his forearm Sept. 21 at Carolina, could be cleared to return to contact this week. He has practiced each of the last two weeks.