Rodney Harrison

In recognition of his accomplishments in San Diego and New England, he was named to the 50th Anniversary Teams of both the Chargers and Patriots.

Rodney Scott Harrison (born December 15, 1972) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons with the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots.

He graduated from high school in 1991.

Harrison played college football at Western Illinois University from 1991 to 1993.

He is the school's record-holder for tackles in a career (345) and tackles in a game (28).

As a freshman, Harrison was a second-team All-Gateway Football Conference before being named a first-team All-Gateway pick as a sophomore and junior.

The Associated Press also named him a second-team All-American as a sophomore and a first-team All-American as a junior.

Harrison was suspended from the team and elected to enter the NFL draft.

He was selected in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Chargers, where he spent his first nine seasons, and was a member of the Patriots in his following six.

Harrison was drafted in the fifth round of the 1994 draft, (145th overall) by the San Diego Chargers, the same year they made their only Super Bowl (XXIX) to date, which they lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

Harrison became a starting member of the Chargers' 1996 defense, going to two Pro Bowls with the Chargers in 1998 and 2001.

He set then-career highs with the Chargers in 2000 with 127 tackles and six interceptions; in 2002 he started 13 games and recorded 88 tackles in his final season with the Chargers.

Following the 2002 season, on February 27, 2003, Harrison was released by the Chargers.

Two weeks later, on March 13, Harrison landed with the Patriots, signing a six-year deal.

At the time, the Patriots had both Harrison and fellow Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy under contract.

Throughout the offseason, though, the Patriots and Milloy were involved in contract negotiations, with the Patriots requesting Milloy take a pay cut or be released.

Milloy did not comply, and on September 2, he was released.

Prior to the 2003 season, Harrison was named a defensive captain in his first year with the Patriots by the coaching staff after Lawyer Milloy was released.

Harrison was also named to the Associated Press' All-Pro team following a 140-tackle (a 2003 NFL best for a defensive back) and three-sack season in which he started all 16 regular season games.

On January 10, 2004 in the divisional playoff game against the Tennessee Titans, he intercepted Steve McNair, which set up Antowain Smith's touchdown, as New England would hold on for a 17–14 win.

In the AFC Championship Game the next week against the Indianapolis Colts, Harrison intercepted Peyton Manning in the end zone and forced a Marvin Harrison fumble, recovered by teammate Tyrone Poole.

Harrison then went on to help the New England Patriots win their second title in three years, against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, 32–29.

He fractured his right arm late in the game, but a Tom Brady-led drive and Adam Vinatieri field goal secured the Patriots' victory.

The 2004 season produced a similar performance.

Harrison helped New England's defense finish second in the NFL in scoring for 2004.

For the second straight season, Harrison's 138 tackles led all defensive backs in the NFL.

Harrison also started all sixteen regular season games for the sixth time in his career, holding together a Patriots secondary that was without Ty Law and Tyrone Poole for the majority of the season.

In the Patriots' divisional playoff game against the Colts, Harrison intercepted Peyton Manning late in the game to end the Colts' last chance.

The next week in the AFC Championship, Harrison jumped a Ben Roethlisberger pass and took it 87 yards for a touchdown, helping the Patriots defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 41–27.

During the week leading up to the Super Bowl, Harrison got into a verbal feud with Philadelphia Eagles receiver Freddie Mitchell after Mitchell claimed he "had something for Harrison" and did not know the names of the New England secondary.

Harrison, in Super Bowl XXXIX, would record seven tackles, a sack, and two interceptions of quarterback Donovan McNabb, despite missing almost an entire quarter due to an injury sustained during the game.

In March 2006, Marian Catholic retired Harrison's No. 37 jersey, although Harrison never actually wore No. 37 while in high school.

His varsity numbers were No. 26 as a sophomore, No. 11 as a junior and No. 3 as a senior.

Since leaving the NFL in 2009, he has served as a commentator for NBC's Football Night in America.

During his career, Harrison was selected to two Pro Bowls and received first-team All-Pro honors twice.

He holds the defensive back record for sacks and was the first NFL player to obtain 30 sacks and 30 interceptions.

Harrison participated in four Super Bowls, winning two with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX.

In his 10th year in the league, Harrison earned his first Super Bowl ring.

He was also inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2019.

Harrison went to high school at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois.