BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson doesn't expect James Harrison to suddenly grow soft -- or stop bending the rules.
Although Harrison received a one-game suspension for his illegal helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, who's still bothered by concussion symptoms two weeks after the head-jarring shot, Jackson believes the Pittsburgh Steelers' heat-seeking linebacker will continue to level anyone in his path.
"Harrison is who he is, and whether you fine him, you suspend him, he's not going to change," Jackson said Thursday. "That's up to the commissioner to handle it the best way he knows how."
Jackson's comments came one day after an unapologetic Harrison defended his head shot on McCoy, who hasn't been medically cleared to practice and will miss his second consecutive game Saturday in Baltimore. Harrison also said the NFL should punish the Browns for allowing McCoy to return to the game so quickly.
Jackson was stunned by Harrison's comments.
"I didn't hear that. Oh, goodness," Jackson said. "It doesn't surprise me coming from Harrison. He's one of the guys that he's going to live and die by the way he plays. I don't know what to say to it really... I'm going to leave that one alone."
Last season, after Harrison knocked out Browns wide receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs with concussions, Cleveland center Alex Mack accused Pittsburgh's linebacker of "being cheap, being dirty." Mack wouldn't go that far after Harrison's hit on McCoy and even said the linebacker had cleaned up his game.
But Mack believes Harrison could have avoided hitting McCoy so high.
"I'd say he's playing on the very edge of the rules," Mack said. "You don't have to use your head. You could shove him really hard in the chest and get the job done the same way. But there's something to be said about affecting the quarterback."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
