James Harrison Shares Story of Steelers Rookie Who Ignored Him

PITTSBURGH -- Typically known for speaking his mind and issuing strong opinions on the Pittsburgh Steelers, former linebacker James Harrison recently took a much calmer point of view, telling a story about strong advice he gave.

Harrison is known as a strong storyteller due to his years of experience in the league, and this story is no different in that regard.

On an appearance on his own Deebo and Joe podcast, Harrison spoke about his experience with a former rookie linebacker, Mike Humpal. Harrison detailed a story where he attempted to help Humpal out due to his tackling style, and when it did not work out, Humpal risked getting cut.

First, Harrison spoke about the advice that coaches gave to Humpal on how to work on his special teams and how it could help him get on the roster.

"He goes and tells this man to hit the wedge square," Harrison said. "This is back when we they had the big offensive linemen as the two and three man wedges. They're locked up, shoulder-to- shoulder, they're coming down and they're taking on the four or the five, whoever is taking on the wedge. He tells them, you come in there and you take on the wedge square. After he tells him you take the wedge on square, after you hit it, turn your hip."

Then, Harrison spoke about his own advice that he gave Humpal, which appeared to be contradictory to that of the coaches.

"I said hey, Hump, if you do that shit, one, you might go to sleep." Harrison said. "Two, you're going to get a hip pointer because they're going to bang the shit out of you."

What Happened To Humpal After That?

At the end of the day, Humpal decided to go with the wisdom given by the coaches, and it did not work out well for him. The way he attempted to tackle led to him suffering a stinger that left him injured for his entire rookie season in 2008, and he was unable to make the roster the following season.

Oct 29, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers retired linebacker James Harrison is introduced before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

Harrison's storytelling was more pointed than normal, but he was still able to come out on top at the end of the day. Harrison's experience across the years has led to a lot of wisdom when it comes to the National Football League, but the way that he presents himself can often be misconstrued.

The cautionary tales explains why rookies' best moves may be listening to those who came before them. Because the NFL is different than any other game, and players like Harrison know how to navigate through it.

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