Patriots add Harrison, 39, to roster
James Harrison is no longer the odd man out or the oldest man in the locker room.
The former Steelers star signed a one-year deal with the Patriots on Tuesday, three days after his unceremonious departure from Pittsburgh.
The 39-year-old linebacker posted a photo on Instagram showing himself with 40-year-old quarterback Tom Brady in New England’s locker room, writing that he finally has “a teammate that’s older than me!”
The AFC North champion Steelers released the five-time Pro Bowl linebacker and 2008 NFL defensive player of the year on Saturday to make room for right tackle Marcus Gilbert, who is returning from a suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy.
“We make the decisions we feel give us the very best chance to win,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday when asked why the team didn’t release a different player to make room for Gilbert. “We needed the people we kept. We needed to activate Marcus Gilbert. Really, it’s nothing more than that.”
Cards’ coach says nothing decided
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians says a report that he and the franchise have agreed to part ways after this season is untrue, labeling it “fake news.”
An article in Pro Football Weekly cited “multiple sources” as saying the split would come next week at the end of Arians’ fifth season as the team’s head coach.
But the 65-year-old coach said nothing has been decided.
“I don’t know where that came from,” Arians said. “Nothing changed in the last month and a half and people keep asking me the same questions.”
Bills’ owner questions calls
Bills owner Terry Pegula wonders what television NFL officials were watching in questioning inconsistencies in video replay rulings after Buffalo receiver Kelvin Benjamin’s touchdown was overturned in a loss at New England last weekend.
The usually low-key owner went out of character during an appearance on Buffalo’s WGR-Radio by specifically referencing NFL officiating chief Al Riveron and saying he intends to raise his concerns with the league.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but we have to fix it,” Pegula said. “I’m not saying this as the owner of the Bills. I’m saying it as a football fan. We can’t have stuff like this happening in our league.”
Odds and ends
The Broncos will start Paxton Lynch in their season finale against the Chiefs — providing he can play on his sprained left ankle that’s sidelined him for more than a month. … The Panthers say starting wide receiver Damiere Byrd will miss the remainder of the season with a lower leg injury. He has been placed on injured reserve.…
A fired food service worker is charged with ramming other vehicles at Lambeau Field in Green Bay last week. Forty-year-old Chay Vang was charged with two felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and five misdemeanor counts of damage to property. USA Today Network-Wisconsin reports Vang’s cash bond was set at $10,000. … The Packers will have another new starting right tackle for their season finale at Detroit after Jason Spriggs was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.