Ryan Clark James Harrison's A 'Borderline' HOFer ... But I Hope He Gets In!!!

HALL OF FAME POTENTIAL?
TMZSports.com

James Harrison says he's not a Hall of Famer, and Ryan Clark fears the Steelers legend might be right ... but he tells TMZ Sports he's hoping like hell his old teammate ends up being wrong.

Harrison admitted last week he doesn't believe his numbers are good enough to one day get a bust in Canton ... and when we spoke with Clark this week, he said he shares the same concerns as the guy he played with from 2006-2012.

"I would say he's borderline," Clark said of the ex-Pittsburgh pass rusher. "I don't know if he gets in."

STAYING HUMBLE
TMZSports.com

Clark tells us ... he's unsure if Harrison sustained a level of excellence for long enough to sway voters -- though he did note the guy's Super Bowl wins and Defensive Player of the Year award might ultimately be enough.

"My bias says he deserves it, but I understand how it works," Clark said ... before adding, "I hope he gets in."

Harrison played in the NFL from 2002 to 2017, but he was only a full-time starter for about seven years. He logged 84.5 sacks in his career ... as well as 811 combined tackles.

The totals were good enough to earn him a place in Pittsburgh's Hall of Honor this season ... and, clearly, Clark is hoping it'll one day get him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame too.

"It would be an honor to be in the stands and in the crowd to hear James Harrison accept that gold jacket," Clark said.

James Harrison I'm Not A Hall of Famer

STAYING HUMBLE
TMZSports.com

If James Harrison had a vote ... the Steelers legend would NOT be in the Hall of Fame -- the former NFL star tells TMZ Sports he truly doesn't believe his resume is good enough to earn him a bust in Canton one day.

"As far as Hall of Fame, you know, it's a lot of things that goes into that," the five-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion explained this month.

"And I believe numbers is one of those things, you know? And when you look at my numbers, they just don't, for me, they don't equate to what the numbers should be."

Harrison played in the league from 2002 through 2017 -- but he was really only a full-time starter from '07 to '13 ... something he clearly believes will likely prevent him from getting in the Hall.

Still, despite only roughly seven years as a cornerstone defensive piece, Harrison dominated when he was on the field -- earning All-Pro honors twice ... while finishing his career with 84.5 sacks and 811 combined tackles.

In fact, the totals were so good, the Hall of Fame announced earlier this summer that he's one of 173 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

Harrison, though, clearly thinks he'll never get the ultimate call to the Hall ... telling us, "That's just how I feel."

But, if it did come, Harrison says he'd be thrilled for the award.

In the meantime, Harrison is going into at least one Hall this season -- the Steelers announced they'll be inducting him into their Hall of Honor later this year ... an accolade he said he's super proud of.

"To be put in a group of guys that are in that company right now, that Hall of Honor, that's a tremendous, tremendous honor."

JAMES HARRISON NO SOY UN MIEMBRO DEL SALÓN DE LA FAMA

manteniendose humilde
TMZSports.com

Si James Harrison tuviera un voto, la leyenda de los Steelers NO estaría en el Salón de la Fama. La ex estrella de la NFL le comentó a TMZ Sports que realmente no cree que su currículum sea lo suficientemente bueno como para ganarse un busto en Canton algún día.

"En lo que respecta al Salón de la Fama, hay muchas cosas que entran en juego", explicó este mes el cinco veces Pro Bowler y dos veces campeón de la Super Bowl.

"Y creo que los números son una de esas cosas, ¿sabes? Y cuando nos fijamos en mis números, simplemente no lo hacen, para mí, no se equiparan a lo que los números deben ser ".

Harrison jugó en la liga desde 2002 hasta 2017 - pero en realidad solo fue titular a tiempo completo de '07 a '13 ... algo que claramente cree que probablemente le impedirá entrar en el Salón.

Sin embargo, a pesar de sólo siete años como pieza defensiva fundamental, Harrison dominó cuando estuvo en el campo - ganando honores All-Pro dos veces ... mientras terminaba su carrera con 84,5 sacks y 811 tackles combinados.

De hecho, los totales eran tan buenos, el Salón de la Fama anunció a principios de este verano que es uno de los 173 finalistas de la era moderna para el Pro Football Hall de la Fama de la Clase de 2024.

Harrison claramente piensa que nunca recibirá la llamada definitiva al Salón y nos dice: "Así es como me siento".

Pero, si llegara, Harrison dice que estaría encantado con el premio.

Mientras tanto, Harrison entrará en al menos un Salón esta temporada. Los Steelers anunciaron que lo incluirán en su Salón de Honor a finales de este año, un galardón del que dijo estar muy orgulloso.

"Estar en ese Salón de Honor, es un tremendo, tremendo honor".

Antonio Brown Compares Steelers O.C. To Hitler ... 'Adolf Canada'

Antonio Brown has seen enough of Matt Canada's offense in Pittsburgh -- the controversial ex-NFL superstar just unloaded on the Steelers coach in a social media rant ... wildly comparing him to Adolf Hitler.

AB has been an outspoken critic of Canada recently ... ripping his former team over its scoring struggles this season, and even throwing out his interest in replacing the current offensive coordinator.

Brown continued his public bashing on Monday ... sharing a picture of Canada with Hitler's signature toothbrush mustache drawn on it and saying, "Adolf Canada."

The posts were understandably met with backlash ... with several users also pointing out they fell on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.

"Tweeting this is crazy," one follower replied ... while another added, "Yeah, this is wildly inappropriate. It's not even remotely funny."

The Steelers were able to score a few offensive touchdowns en route to a 23-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders ... but it's safe to say AB was still not satisfied with Canada's performance nonetheless.

AB is no stranger to speaking his mind on social media ... but he definitely should have reconsidered these posts.

Pittsburgh Steelers Plane Makes Emergency Landing In Kansas City ... After Raiders Game

The Pittsburgh Steelers still have yet to make it home following their big win against the Raiders in Nevada .... their charter plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Monday morning -- stranding the team in Kansas City.

The Delta Airlines flight was grounded not long after it left Las Vegas following Pitt's 23-18 victory ... after the plane reportedly experienced oil pressure issues.

Thankfully, a Steelers spokesperson said in a tweet Monday morning that everyone on the flight is safe.

"We are making necessary plans to arrive back in Pittsburgh later today," they added.

Pittsburgh star Cam Heyward was able to joke about it all despite the scary nature of the scene ... poking fun at his teammate, Minkah Fitzpatrick, on his X account.

"Dang emergency landing in KC," he wrote. "I think it’s due to @minkfitz_21 'roughing the passer call' but seriously landing KC."

He later jokingly asked Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift to give him a ride from K.C. to Pennsylvania ... as the two just so happened to be in the area for the Chiefs star's game earlier in the day.

"Yo @taylorswift13 & @tkelce," the defensive lineman wrote, "we might need a ride to Pittsburgh."

A replacement plane is reportedly set to get the Steelers and take them home in a matter of minutes.

Minkah Fitzpatrick 'I'm Not A Dirty Player' ... Defends Chubb Tackle

BY THE BOOK

Minkah Fitzpatrick says he was not trying to end Nick Chubb's season when his goal line tackle resulted in a devastating injury ... defending himself and claiming the controversial hit wasn't a dirty play.

The three-time Pro Bowler broke his silence on the incident with reporters on Thursday ... clapping back at critics who say the result could have been prevented.

"You can tell me how to tackle him low, but it's a fast game," Fitzpatrick said. "It's a game where you make decisions in milliseconds."

THE GRUESOME INJURY
Courtesy of NFL

"Can't really control what happens after you choose to make your decision. I already chose to go low. Somebody got on his back when I was going low, and what happened happened. There's nothing I really would do differently."

Chubb will be sidelined for the rest of the season ... and his football career remains up in the air as a long road to recovery awaits him.

Fitzpatrick said it's still unfortunate what happened and he hopes Chubb gets well soon.

"Nick Chubb's a great player," Fitzpatrick said. "He makes the game a lot better when he's playing."

IT'S PART OF THE GAME
TMZSports.com

Not everyone is criticizing Fitzpatrick for the tackle ... Steelers legend James Harrison told us the blame for the hit falls on the NFL's shoulders due to its restrictive tackling rules.

James Harrison Blame NFL Rules For Nick Chubb Injury ... Not Minkah Fitzpatrick!!!

IT'S PART OF THE GAME
TMZSports.com

James Harrison says it's the NFL's fault Nick Chubb is done for the season -- not Minkah Fitzpatrick's -- telling TMZ Sports he believes the league's rules forced the Steelers safety to go low on Monday night.

The former Pittsburgh superstar didn't mince words when talking about the hit that ended Chubb's season ... explaining he thinks Fitzpatrick had no other choice than to aim for the Browns tailback's knees on the controversial play.

"You've made it to where if a guy goes in there and comes in high and hits him in the head, now he's getting fined," Harrison said. "So what do you have to do? You've got guys shooting low now. That's just what you've done made the game into."

VERY SERIOUS INJURY
TikTok / @drdavidabbasi

In fact, Harrison says if he were still playing today ... he fears he would have caused similar injuries in an effort to avoid penalties and fines from NFL officials.

"To be honest with you, there would probably be a whole lot more people getting hurt," he said. "Because I'm going to shoot at your legs."

Not all have agreed with Harrison ... former NFL wideout-turned-broadcaster Nate Burleson said on Tuesday he thought Fitzpatrick could have done a whole lot more to avoid hurting Chubb.

The 27-year-old running back, meanwhile, has yet to publicly comment on the hit ... as he's in the process of undergoing surgeries to fix the damage done to his ligaments.

James Harrison Culpa a la NFL y sus reglas de la lesión de Nick Chubb... No a Minkah Fitzpatrick!!!

Es parte de las reglas del juego
TMZSports.com

James Harrison dice que es culpa de la NFL que Nick Chubb esté fuera por toda la temporada, no de Minkah Fitzpatrick. James le dijo a TMZ Sports que cree que las reglas de la liga obligaron a los defensas de los Steelers a apuntar hacia abajo la noche del lunes.

El ex superestrella de Pittsburgh no se anduvo con rodeos al hablar sobre el golpe que puso fin a la temporada de Chubb, explicando que cree que Fitzpatrick no tenía otra opción más que apuntar las rodillas del tailback de los Browns en la polémica jugada.

"Has llegado a un punto en el que si un tipo entra ahí y llega alto y te golpea en la cabeza, ahora lp multan", dijo Harrison. "¿Qué tienes que hacer? Ahora los chicos tiran bajo. En eso se ha convertido el juego".

Seriamente lesionado
TikTok / @drdavidabbasi

De hecho, Harrison dice que si todavía estuviera jugando hoy, teme que habría provocado lesiones similares en un esfuerzo por evitar sanciones y multas de los oficiales de la NFL.

"Para ser honesto, probablemente habría mucha más gente lesionada", dijo. "Porque les habría disparado en las piernas".

No todos han estado de acuerdo con Harrison. El ex jugador de la NFL y hoy locutor, Nate Burleson, dijo el martes que pensaba que Fitzpatrick podría haber hecho mucho más para evitar lastimar a Chubb.

El corredor de 27 años, por su parte, aún no ha comentado públicamente sobre el golpe, ya que está en proceso de someterse a cirugías para reparar el daño hecho a sus ligamentos.

Nick Chubb Injury Could be Career Threatening ... Says Orthopedic Surgeon

VERY SERIOUS INJURY
TikTok / @drdavidabbasi

"This is a serious injury and it will need reconstructive surgery. He will definitely be out the rest of this year. Next year is in question, as well. And, so is his career."

That's orthopedic sports surgeon, Dr. David Abbasi ... offering his medical opinion on Nick Chubb's gruesome knee injury, sustained during the first half of the Browns vs. Steelers Monday Night Football game.

Abbasi is a double board certified fellowship trained ortho surgeon specializing in shoulder, elbows, and knees ... and although he hasn't treated 27-year-old Chubb, he has been the sideline physician for the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bearcats, FIU Panthers and a bunch of big UFC fights.

The Browns have not yet announced the specifics of the injury to the 4x Pro Bowler, but Abbasi says it's clear there was a knee dislocation, and with that, serious ligament damage.

"You can see he gets hit on his knee. That is his knee dislocating out," the doctor explained, "His knee popped out of place."

Thankfully, Abassi says the knee went back into place moments later ... and that's important because it limits the risk to the nerves and the blood vessels "which can be limb threatening."

The bad news ... for the knee to pop out the way it did, David says, "[Chubb] had to have torn at least two of the four ligaments, but usually it's more than two ligaments."

"The knee ligaments I'm referring to here consist of the ACL, the PCL, the MCL, and the LCL. I would not be surprised if at least three, if not all four of these have torn."

After the MNF game, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Chubb would be out for this season.

It's not the first time the 4x Pro Bowler has dealt with a serious injury to his left knee. Back in 2015, Chubb tore three ligaments (all but the LCL) in a college football game vs. Tennessee. He missed the rest of the season but was back for '16.

Here's hoping for another quick comeback ... and a fully healthy Nick Chubb in 2024!

NFL Star Nick Chubb Suffers Gruesome Knee Injury ... Out For Season

THE GRUESOME INJURY
Courtesy of NFL

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb suffered a horrific knee injury Monday night ... one that was so bad, ABC chose not to air close-up replays of it.

The NFL star and his team were going toe to toe against the Steelers during a primetime game in Pittsburgh ... when Chubb got knocked out of the contest in the second quarter.

During one of the plays ... Deshaun Watson handed the ball to the 27-year-old tailback, who sprang forward into a crush of helmets, getting tackled by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Moments later, Chubb was unable to get to his feet even with the help of his teammate. He grimaced and writhed in pain as he gripped his left knee -- which he also severely injured in 2015 while playing college football.

A far-away replay showed Chubb's leg had bent in a way it shouldn't have ... and both Joe Buck and Troy Aikman -- the game's broadcasters -- told the audience they would not be showing the other angle of the hit due to its gruesomeness.

Chubb was then carted off the field to cheers from the opposing crowd at Acrisure Stadium.

NOT LOOKING GOOD
Cleveland Browns

After the game, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Chubb suffered a "significant knee injury" -- one that will almost certainly sideline the running back for the rest of the season.

Making matters worse for Cleveland, the Steelers went on to win the game, 26-22. Not a good night for the Browns.

Estrella de la NFLA Nick Chubb Sufre una horrible lesión de rodilla Fuera por la temporada

La fuerte lesión
Courtesy of NFL

El corredor de los Cleveland Browns, Nick Chubb, sufrió una terrible lesión de rodilla el lunes por la noche, tan mala, que ABC optó por no transmitir repeticiones en primer plano de ella.

La estrella de la NFL y su equipo se enfrentaban a los Steelers en un partido en horario prime en Pittsburgh, cuando Chubb quedó fuera de combate en el segundo cuarto.

Durante una de las jugadas, Deshaun Watson le entregó el balón al jugador de 27 años, quien saltó hacia adelante, y fue aplacado por Fitzpatrick.de los Steelers Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Momentos después, Chubb fue incapaz de ponerse en pie incluso con la ayuda de su compañero de equipo. Hizo una mueca y se retorció de dolor mientras se agarraba la rodilla izquierda, que también se lesionó gravemente en 2015 mientras jugaba en la universidad.

Una repetición lejana muestra que la pierna de Chubb se dobló de una manera que no es la debida, y tanto Joe Buck como Troy Aikman, los locutores del juego, le dijeron a la audiencia que no iban a mostrar el otro ángulo del golpe, por lo fuerte que era.

Chubb fue sacado del campo entre los vítores de la multitud en el Estadio Acrisure.

No se ve bien
Cleveland Browns

Después del partido, el entrenador de los Browns, Kevin Stefanski, dijo a los periodistas que Chubb sufrió una "lesión significativa en la rodilla", una que casi con toda seguridad lo dejará fuera por el resto de la temporada.

Para empeorar las cosas para los Cleveland, los Steelers ganaron el partido por 26-22. Definitivamente no fue una buena noche para los Browns.

Antonio Brown Cops Ordered To Arrest Ex-NFL Star Again Over Unpaid Child Support

Florida cops have been ordered to arrest Antonio Brown once again ... after a judge ruled he missed yet another child support payment.

According to Miami-Dade County court documents, the ruling was issued on Aug. 9 ... after Brown apparently missed a $15,000 payment to his ex, Wiltrice Jackson.

Per the docs, Brown can have the order purged if he pays up ... plus an additional $5,000 in attorney fees.

It's the second time this year a judge has ordered law enforcement to take the ex-NFL star into custody over unpaid child support ... back in April, the order was issued after Brown failed to make a $30,000 payment to Jackson.

AB, though, paid up before he was put behind bars.

Brown and Jackson dated in the early stages of the former wide receiver's football career ... and have a daughter together.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

The two, however, have had their share of ups and downs since ... with Jackson accusing Brown of shoving her during a domestic dispute in 2019. Brown was never charged in the case.

We've reached out to a rep for Brown for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Steelers' George Pickens Insane One-Handed Catch At Practice ... Over Star Rookie DB!!!

George Pickens has channeled his inner Odell Beckham Jr. yet again ... this time, making a sick one-handed catch over his teammate during a training camp practice Tuesday.

The grab went down in 1-on-1 drills ... when the Steelers wideout was lined up against the team's second-round draft pick, Joey Porter Jr.

You can see footage shot by a fan in the stands at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, JPJ actually had some good coverage as quarterback Kenny Pickett was looking to deliver the football ... but, check out the clip, that clearly didn't matter to Pickens.

The former Georgia star jumped into the air, stuck out his right hand ... and somehow corralled the ball above Porter Jr.'s head.

When he crashed down to the turf with the pigskin safely secured -- even he had to take a minute to celebrate, taunting Porter Jr. by giving him the rock, before his teammates raced in to show him some love.

Of course, Pickens is no stranger to insane catches ... last season, he had arguably the reception of the year when he hauled in a wild one-hander against the Cleveland Browns.

Regular season is still a month away ... but George is apparently more than ready for it already.

Le'Veon Bell It's A Bug's Life For Running Backs ... We're The Ants!!!

Le'Veon Bell says NFL running backs are being treated like a bunch of ants when it comes to contract negotiations ... and unless they team up, they're going to continue to get squashed.

The ex-Pittsburgh Steelers star -- who famously sat out an entire season over his own contract dispute -- went on a Twitter rant to share his thoughts on the league's biggest stars like Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs failing to get long-term deals this offseason ... and he used an old Disney movie to explain his take.

Bell says anyone trying to understand what's going on should check out the 1998 flick, "A Bug's Life" ... which is a story of one ant, Flik, inspiring his colony to team up against a bunch of grasshoppers who have been taking advantage of them.

Bell says he's the real-life version of Flik, because he made the bold move to hold out during his career ... and he took all the heat in hopes of improving the market for his position.

"At the time, no one could see my vision or what I was standing for but all I was doing was just preparing to go against the grasshoppers/owners," Bell tweeted on Tuesday. "But as a lone inventive ant/RB, I obviously couldn’t beat the grasshoppers/owners alone .. ‼️"

Now that Barkley and Jacobs are in a similar situation, Bell thinks they could take back control by following his lead.

"In 2017 & 2018 I was the lone ant, I was Flik .. it was literally ONLY ME .. fast forward 6 years later, now you have multiple ants tryin join the fight against the grasshoppers …"

"Once Flik helped the other ants realize that there are more of US (ants) than it is of THEM (grasshoppers/owners) they finally defeated the grasshoppers ... ants are STRONG AS F*** together ‼️ very weak when they are individuals."

Even if more players start to hold out (there are rumors Barkley will), Le'Veon says there's only so much that can be done ... because after all, the running backs will always be ants.

With all that being said, Bell says he's persuading future athletes to play a different position ... 'cause running backs are getting hosed.

Dwayne Haskins' Widow Alleges QB Was Drugged Before Death ... In Robbery Plot

The widow of Dwayne Haskins is claiming the ex-NFL star was drugged in the hours before his death ... alleging the former Steelers and Commanders quarterback was the target of a blackmail and robbery plot.

Kalabrya Haskins spelled out the allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, that was filed in Florida fewer than three weeks before the one-year anniversary of the former football player's tragic death.

In the documents, Kalabrya claims that on April 8 and the early morning hours of April 9, 2022, Dwayne visited four establishments in the Miami area ... and was drugged by a group of people planning to blackmail and rob him.

Kalabrya says Joey Smith, Meriem Yassine, Wissal Yassine and Karlee Peyton drugged the 26-year-old old at some point while he spent time at the Wyndham Hotel, a Drive Shack, a restaurant called the Blue Anchor Pub, and E11EVEN nightclub.

According to a statement released by Kalabrya's attorney, Rick Ellsley, on Monday morning, Ellsley alleges that Dwayne's "highly-expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death" ... although he doesn't specify who he thinks took it.

Kalabrya is suing the four for battery ... while also going after the four establishments for negligence, claiming they allowed "patrons to use drugs and to drug other patrons, including [Dwayne]."

KALABRYA'S CALL
TMZSports.com

As we reported, Dwayne died on April 9, 2022 ... after authorities say he was struck by a dump truck on a Florida highway. According to a Broward County Medical Examiner's Office investigation report, Dwayne had been on foot on the roadway after his rental car had ran out of gas.

Authorities said in the docs the QB "drank heavily" and ingested ketamine in the hours leading up to his passing. They said he had a blood alcohol level of .24 at the time of the accident.

Kalabrya is also going after several other people in her suit ... among them, the dump truck driver who hit Dwayne, the rental car company that Dwayne obtained his vehicle from, and the Florida Department of Transportation -- alleging they all share some blame for the quarterback's untimely death.

Dwayne was just 24 years old.

Antonio Brown Done Playing Football ... Becomes National Arena League Team Owner

Antonio Brown is officially walking away from football -- but only as a player -- because the newly retired NFL superstar just became part owner of a National Arena League team.

The former All-Pro receiver officially shut the door on his NFL career this week, according to ML Football ... and now, he's fully focused on his new role as part owner of the Albany Empire -- the same franchise his father, Eddie, played for back in the day.

TMZ Sports is told AB is 100% committed to his new position with the team ... and will be as hands-on as his schedule allows.

Eddie is also involved in his son's new journey ... and will serve as vice president of football operations.

Of course, AB grew up near the area during part of his childhood as his dad starred for the Albany Firebirds ... making the move a full-circle moment for him. The transaction came to be rather quickly ... as we're told after a few social media interactions and phone calls, it was a done deal.

AB was officially introduced at a press conference on Thursday ... and said he was "excited and grateful to be a part of the Albany Empire."

FYI -- the Empire are back-to-back champions in the NAL ... and AB said he's ready for a three-peat.

We're told AB has big plans for his role as part owner alongside Mike Kwarta ... and will help boost media coverage and promotion for the team.

3/2/23
WELCOME TO THE TEAM
Albany Empire

AB finishes his NFL career -- which was marred by controversy on and off the field -- with more than 900 receptions and 12,000 receiving yards, 83 touchdowns and a Super Bowl ring.

Brown played for the Steelers, Raiders (kinda), Patriots and Buccaneers over the course of 12 seasons ... and infamously made a shirtless mid-game exit in in 2022.

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