Gerry: Harrison said he won't be 100 percent until after season

Friday, 09 November 2012 12:41

Written by Gerry Dulac

Pro Bowl OLB James Harrison said he is starting to feel better and be in better football shape after playing the past five games at right outside linebacker.

Nonetheless, his knee, which had arthroscopic surgery in training camp, has kept him from performing at the level to which he accustomed. He told me today it won't be anywhere near 100 percent until after the season.

“I’d say it’s getting a lot closer to what would be fully conditioned, but it’s obviously not going to be all the way there for the simple fact my knee isn’t going to be all the way there till probably the end of the season,” Harrison said. “I’ve accepted that. Until you’re able to go and rehab things correctly and properly, you’re not going to be able to get back to 100 percent.

“I want to be able to go out there and run 100 yards every play for 15 plays straight. Obviously, that isn’t the case right now. I’m good. It’s not anything that’s affecting my level of play. If anything, the knee affects that moiré than anything else.”

Harrison said he can’t bend his knee as much as he would like, restricting his ability to get underneath offensive tackles when he uses leverage to rush the quarterback. Harrison has used that technique to compile 45 ½ sacks in the past four seasons.

“I don’t have the same strength in it as I do the other leg,” Harrison said. “It took a year, year-and-a-half-plus to get where I had to have surgery. It’s not something that’s going to come back over the course of a few weeks.”