Steelers’ Harrison: PED probe ‘done deal’

Combined dispatches

LATROBE, PA.

The NFL was supposed to interview James Harrison when training camp opened.

Practices at Saint Vincent College end today, and there is no interview in sight.

“There’s nothing going on,” Harrison said Monday after a Steelers practice held earlier in the day because of a thunderstorm threat. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a done deal.”

The NFL says otherwise. Monday, NFL senior vice president of labor policy and league affairs Adolpho Birch sent a letter Monday to the NFL Players Association detailing a plan to suspend Harrison, Clay Matthews (Packers), Peppers (Packers) and Neal (free agent) if they don’t speak with the league by Aug. 25.

Also Monday, a NFL Players Association source said they have heard nothing about the NFL’s previous request to interview Harrison over a claim by a man in an Al-Jazeera America story that he supplied the Steelers linebacker with a banned performance-enhancing substance.

The source for that story quickly retracted his allegations, but the NFL still insisted on interviewing Harrison. At least, the league appeared to insist.

Harrison replied that he would do so only if it were at his home and with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell present. The league did not respond to that, and Harrison then provided a sworn affidavit stating he never has used a substance banned by the NFL. The union forwarded that affidavit to the league, and there has been not a peep from anyone since.

In fact, Harrison ended an interview with reporters early in camp when the topic came up, but he talked about it with the Post-Gazette on Monday.

He said he has heard nothing from the NFL and has no idea if they planned to pursue the matter.

“That’s something you might want to talk to them about,” Harrison said. “That’s it. I did what I had to do, my part. That’s it.”

AIn the meantime, the 38-year-old Harrison continues to play and practice while his young teammates at outside linebacker — Bud Dupree, Jarvis Jones, Anthony Chickillo — remain sidelined with various injuries.

Harrison had his team’s only sack in Friday’s preseason opener against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field, which forced a fumble the Steelers recovered. He also broke up a pass in the flat with a big hit. He was on the field for just two series.

Dupree and Jones did not play Friday and did not practice Monday. Chickillo left the game against Detroit with an ankle injury and also watched practice.

Harrison just keeps on ticking, but he finally did put some kind of deadline on his playing days. Only two linebackers have played into their 40s in the NFL, Junior Seau and Clay Matthews II. Harrison, who began playing football on the pee wee level at age 11, declared Monday he will not join them.

“Yeah, I don’t plan on doing that,” he said. “I’m not saying this is the year, I’m saying I’m not planning on playing beyond 40. Hell, I didn’t plan on playing after I retired.”

That brief retirement came near the start of the 2014 season, until the Steelers talked him out of it. But he promised his sons, James and Henry, they can play tackle football only if he can be there to make sure they are receiving and using the proper technique. James is 8 and playing flag football, and his dad does not think he can hold him back much longer.

“My nephews and stuff are playing tackle football,” he said. “They want to play tackle, so as soon as I’m able to be there [they can].”

Until then, Harrison maintains a regimen that includes painful deep, dry needle therapy, acupuncture, massages, LEGAL supplements and five-times weekly weight lifting.

It all helped him play 611 defensive snaps last season, more than any other Steelers outside linebacker.

“I can go more, it wouldn’t be a problem,” Harrison said. “I was fine with the reps I had last year.”

So, he does not feel the effects of age? Harrison laughed.

“Oh, yeah, you feel the effects of age,” he said. “It’s just that I do a lot of things to try to take care of my body, and you learn to live with a certain amount of pain.”

That would include any inquests from the league office.