Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that a Mike Tomlin quote about "playing illegally" came in reference to James Harrison. Tomlin actually was referring to three penalties committed by Steelers guard Chris Kemoeatu.
Fair or not, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison often is regarded as the poster child for the NFL's new rules on helmet-to-helmet hits. So it wasn't completely unexpected that the first player to be suspended under the more stringent guidelines was Harrison.
Wyche: Next one will be longer
Ndamukong Suh and James Harrison face substantial suspensions -- including playoff games -- for future illegal hits, a league source tells Steve Wyche. **More ...**
Harrison now is considered a repeat offender by the league, a status that NFL.com senior writer Steve Wyche reports could earn the linebacker a substantial suspension in the future.
But it might raise some eyebrows that on the same day his one-game suspension was handed down for his helmet-to-facemask hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, Harrison had a conversation with Jerome Bettis, who told ESPN's "NFL Live" the linebacker isn't going to alter his playing style.
"He told me he can't," Bettis said when asked if Harrison would change the way he plays, according to ProFootballTalk.com.
Bettis said he "absolutely" believes Harrison likely will continue getting in trouble for illegal hits and that his former teammate considered it "laughable" to be suspended over what he "felt was a very, very small incident."
"James said that he's concerned this will happen again and then there will be a larger suspension," Bettis said. "But he said to me, 'I'm not going to worry about it. I'm going to play my game. If they suspend me, they suspend me, but I'm not going to change the way I play football.' "