Daily Madden: Troubled Players May Become 'Untouchable' In NFL
(KCBS) - The Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing James Harrison out of retirement after losing two linebackers to injury in Sunday's win over Carolina.
"He was never a model citizen -- James Harrison wasn't -- when he played," John Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew. "Now he said he's older and more mature, and that could be too. The culture is changing now, and it's for the good. I think we have awareness where there was very, very little awareness before."
Harrison was arrested for domestic violence in 2008. He apologized and the chargers were later dropped. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he talked to Harrison about the issue before re-signing him.
"I've discussed directly that climate change with James," Tomlin said at his weekly news conference. "He's grown a lot and I don't anticipate that being an issue at all moving forward."
Madden said some players won't get the same degree of understanding.
"I think that those people (with off-field issues) are going to be put in categories and maybe become untouchable," Madden said. "Maybe where no matter what the situation, you wouldn't take them." (6:25)
(Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 and Monday and Friday mornings at 9:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.)