James Harrison is nicknamed “Deebo” for a reason. The former Steelers linebacker looks and acts like he can play in the NFL at this moment. He’s 47.
Harrison was named to five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams in a 15-year career. He was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams and, in 2008, Harrison was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Go on YouTube or Instagram and type Harrison’s name in a search and you might find the man lifting weights like toothpicks.
We mention Harrison’s name in regard to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and restraint.
Throw in the word professionalism, too.
In the Thursday night season opener, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter spat onto the chest of Prescott before the first play from scrimmage. Six seconds into the game, Carter was ejected.
What it took for Prescott, who admitted to spitting first on the ground, to maintain his composure speaks to why the Cowboys believe he’s one of the leaders on this team. And why, before trading him, team officials wanted star edge rusher Micah Parsons to get more aligned with Prescott about leadership.
You can lead in different ways on and off the field. Yet, what Prescott didn’t do was amazing in itself.
Which brings us back to Harrison, who commented on his podcast with former teammate, cornerback Joe Haden, about what happened Thursday night.
“Most disrespectful thing in the world you can do is spit on somebody,” Harrison said on the Deebo and Joe podcast. “If somebody would go on and spit on me, go ahead and get my bail money together like, I’m going to jail. I want to say that I would be able to control myself being in that situation.”
Harrison then added of Prescott’s offensive line, “there’s no way in hell they saw that.”
The former Steeler noted the season-opening game would end before it started.
“It’s an all-out brawl,” he said. “Both teams, y’all just canceled the first regular season game, that’s not going to stop.”
You could take what Prescott did as baiting Carter into doing something foul. Prescott said he was trying to spit on the ground and heard Carter talking trash to him. Prescott spit on the ground as he tried to avoid hitting a teammate and approached Carter to find out what was being said.
In the midst of the “conversation” Carter let it fly.
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“I don’t wish for anybody to get out of the game,” Prescott said. “I’m sure he probably regretted that to some extent. I’m pretty sure he knows that I didn’t try to spit on him or wasn’t even aiming to spit on him. So something that’s probably going to get a lot of coverage and a lot of attention that I feel sorry for him in the sense of, yeah, I mean I know how excited each and every one of us are right to kick off the season and the season opener, and hell of a player like that doesn’t even get a chance in the first play. Unfortunate circumstances.”
Carter apologized for his actions and most likely will get fined. The loss of Carter meant the Cowboys changed some of their blocking schemes because one of the top interior players on the field is gone.
The Cowboys rushed for 119 yards with seven running plays resulting in first downs. It was a mild success in terms of the running game. But the Cowboys did lose the game.
And while winning the season opener allows more glee in the absence of Carter, it was another example of Prescott’s leadership. Or rather his composure.
“Yeah, I was more surprised,” Prescott said on why he kept his composure. “I mean honestly, it hit me more on my collar, I guess, than straight skin, thankfully. But yeah, I was just more surprised. I mean, like I said, I was insulted that he even thought I tried to spit on him. So then for him to react and spit, I’m sure it’s not something he’s proud of.”
The aftermath of SpitGate is the Eagles must deal with Carter’s immaturity and the Cowboys can continue to marvel at their quarterback and what he brings to this team.
“It was crazy,” defensive end Sam Williams said. “Spitting is like, I feel like it’s just not even disrespect, it’s hateful. I don’t know man, just don’t spit on me, please. We both going to be in the locker room.”
It’s another example of why Prescott is the leader of this team: He’s an example of the leadership this Cowboys team needs and seeks going forward.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
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