Payment from Mike Tomlin? 'Absolutely not. Never happened,' claims James Harrison's agent

If James Harrison received an envelope from coach Mike Tomlin to supposedly cover a fine that the former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker received in 2010, it’s news to his agent.

“Absolutely not. Never happened,” Bill Parise told the Tribune-Review on Thursday. “I would have known that. It didn’t happen.”

Harrison was fined $75,000 for a hit on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi even though he was not flagged on the play.

On Barstool’s “Going Deep” podcast with former teammate Willie Colon, Harrison said earlier in the week that Tomlin, who was in his fourth season as Steelers coach, provided some assistance.

Calling it “the G-est thing Mike Tomlin ever did,” Harrison said his coach gave him an envelope. “I’m not going to say what, but he handed me an envelope after that.”

Parise had no knowledge of Harrison’s statement until he was contacted by the Trib on Thursday night.

“James and I are still together,” he said. “We were really close during our 18 years. He would have said something along the way.”

Harrison retired after the 2017 season at age 39. Parise retired as an NFL agent in March 2019, but he advises Harrison in an unofficial capacity.

Nearly a decade after the hit, Parise remembers the circumstances surrounding the hit on Massaquoi and the controversy it created. Massaquoi sustained a concussion on the helmet-to-helmet hit in which the wide receiver lowered his head before contact was initiated.

“James’ hit was unquestionably brutal,” Parise said, “but it was absolutely legal.”

Harrison received the hefty fine as a repeat offender; he was docked in excess of $150,000 in his NFL career.

Parise represented Harrison at his appeal with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Although Harrison lost his appeal, Parise said the fine amount was reduced later in the season.

The Steelers released a statement from team president Art Rooney II that supported Parise’s claim that Tomlin didn’t provide any form of payment to Harrison, which would have violated NFL rules.

“I am certain nothing like this ever happened,” Rooney II said. “I have no idea why James would make a comment like this, but there is simply no basis for believing anything like this.”