Don’t expect James Harrison at New England Patriots training camp this summer. Or any training camp, for that matter.
The veteran linebacker announced his retirement Monday morning via social media, posting a photo collage of his two children on Instagram and a caption that included the message, “I’ve missed way too much for way too long,” and “I’m done.”
Harrison joined the Patriots in December 2017 for their playoff run, appearing in three regular season games and all three postseason games for New England. There was some speculation the Patriots would sign him to another one-year contract in 2018, but it appears the 39-year-old is done for good.
Harrison spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, amassing a franchise record 80 1/2 sacks over 14 seasons. He initially retired in the summer of 2014 but returned that fall and played four more seasons.
Harrison included the hashtag #2ndAndFinalRetirement in his Instagram post Monday, so it looks like he won’t be pulling a Brett Favre.
