James Harrison’s time in New England wasn’t long, but the experience seemed to suit him well.
That’s no surprise knowing him, though. Throughout his NFL career, much of it spent with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 6-foot, 240-pound linebacker has documented his accomplishments at the gym on Instagram. And the videos are something.
Based on his incredible dedication in the gym, it’s easy to see why he seamlessly fit into the picture for four games at the end of the Patriots’ Super Bowl LII run. Harrison said as much recently on the latest episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“You know A is A, B is B, and it’s the same thing from the top to the bottom,” Harrison said of his short time in New England.
“If you don’t like being told what to do and having to conform to what it is that they want you to do, then you won’t like playing there, because it is regimented. I don’t have a problem with regimen. It’s not an issue for me. I enjoyed my time there. I can’t say anything negative about the experience there.”
We’d hope not. After all, the Patriots gave him a shot at a third Super Bowl and picked him up after the rival Pittsburgh Steelers did their former franchise legend absolutely dirty.
He probably carried that appreciation with him, making it easier to buy in. Again, not that he has any issue with sacrifice and hard work. Harrison understood how things operated in New England, and what was expected from the best player to the worst.
“I mean, when it came to meetings, you better be at meetings on time. I don’t even know what happens if you’re late to meetings,” Harrison said, anecdotally.
“Like, I turned around, and I’m sitting in my locker — my locker was like right next to the door — and I catch a glimpse of somebody just running passed. And as I look back over this shoulder I see it’s Tom. And I’m like, ‘You run into the meeting? Oh (expletive) I’m late.’ So you know, I see him running I had to go but it was still like, 3 or 4 minutes left. But that’s just how it is there, you know what I’m saying? It’s regimented, and like I said, I had no problem with.”
Routines get results. Harrison knows that best, and so do the Patriots.
