After losing a pair of starting linebackers to injuries in their last game, the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to bring back a familiar face.
Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison tweeted Monday night that will come out of a brief retirement and re-join the team he spent 10 of his 11 NFL seasons with.
"I'll give it one more year!," wrote Harrison on his Twitter account.
The decision comes one day after the Steelers saw outside linebacker Jarvis Jones go down with a wrist injury and rookie Ryan Shazier hurt his right knee during Sunday's 37-19 win at Carolina. Jones is expected to be placed on injured reserve/designated to return, meaning the 2013 first-round pick will be forced to sit out at least eight games.
Harrison, who spent last season with AFC North-rival Cincinnati, announced his intention to retire in late August. The 36-year-old was not signed by any team after being released by the Bengals in March.
Signed by the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2002 and released the following year, Harrison emerged as one of the team's core players when he returned in 2004 and helped the franchise to a pair of Super Bowl titles in his 10 seasons.
Harrison started 95 of the 131 games he played with the Steelers and ranks fourth in franchise history with 64 sacks. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, earned five straight trips to the Pro Bowl from 2007-11 and was named First-Team All-Pro twice.
The 36-year-old Kent State product also played 12 postseason games with the Steelers and registered the longest interception return in Super Bowl history with a 100-yard touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
Harrison joined division-rival Cincinnati last season and helped the Bengals to the AFC North crown, amassing 30 tackles with two sacks and an interception in 15 games.
[SportsNetwork.com]
