Harrison waits for interview
Talks on PEDs not scheduled yet
The NFL has not scheduled an interview with linebacker James Harrison yet as it promised to do on the first day of Steelers training camp, which starts today at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Harrison publicly posted a letter from the league a month ago that informed him an interview would take place July 28 at Steelers camp in Latrobe.
The league has been investigating a report by Al-Jazeera linking him and several other NFL players to performance enhancing drugs, that has since been recanted by its source for the story.
Earlier this week, the league cleared the main target of the story, former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, of any wrongdoing, but it still ia pursuing interviews with Harrison and three other players named in the Al-Jazeera story: Green Bay Packers linebackers Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews and freeagent Mike Neal.
The league must coordinate any such interviews with the NFL Players Association, and union spokesman Carl Francis told the Post-Gazette Wednesday that nothing has been scheduled “at this time.’’
Harrison plans to arrive at Saint Vincent College sometime this afternoon in style, driving an antique 1953 Jeep, a prized possession of his agent, Bill Parise. That Jeep features a James Harrison hood ornament and has won a national bestof-show award.
“In order to schedule an interview, they would have to schedule it through the NFLPA, not through James or me,’’ Parise asserted. “We’ve been following the NFLPA lead throughout, and nothing’s scheduled that I’m aware of.’’
Harrison not only has denied using any PEDs but made a sworn affidavit attesting to that fact. He also said last month he was willing to grant the NFL an interview over the issue provided it was done at his house and commissioner Roger Goodell attends.
The NFL had no known response to Harrison’s offer. Harrison, 38, is set to start his 14th NFL training camp but pointed out that it would be No. 15 if he had not briefly “retired” before the 2014 season.