James Harrison will retire as a Pittsburgh Steeler after all. The Steelers honored Harrison's request to retire, which became official Friday afternoon.
Any bad blood between Harrison and the Steelers is apparently gone. Despite having a falling out in 2013, when Harrison declined to take a pay cut and opted to instead play for the Cincinnati Bengals, the nine-year Steeler will retire in black and gold.
"It's really family here and I wanted to come back and finish it off where it started," Harrison said at his retirement news conference, via ESPN.
Steelers president Art Rooney II shared the same sentiments.
"I have been asked over the years if a player leaves the team is he able to come back and call himself a Steeler? And I think the answer to that is, 'depends,'" he said. "Certainly when you're someone like James, who helped us win more than one championship and probably had the greatest play in Super Bowl history and certainly the greatest play in Steelers Super Bowl history, I think the bond is unbreakable."
Harrison, an undrafted free agent, overcame being cut three times to finish his career with five Pro Bowls, one Defensive Player of the Year award and two Super Bowl rings.
"They said I couldn't do this, I couldn't do that," he said. "Saying what I can't do is something that motivates me."
As for his future, 36-year-old Harrison said his focus will be on raising his two children and beginning a career in real estate.
