{"source_url": "https://sidelionreport.com", "url": "https://sidelionreport.com/2019/12/31/detroit-lions-damon-harrison-retirement-infuriating/", "title": "Detroit Lions: Why Damon Harrison\u2019s possible retirement is infuriating", "top_image": "https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://sidelionreport.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1183111922.jpeg&", "meta_img": "https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://sidelionreport.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1183111922.jpeg&", "images": ["http://b.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6035728&cv=2.0&cj=1", "https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsidelionreport.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1183111922.jpeg&c=sc&w=850&h=560", "https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/themes/fansided-v5/assets/images/fansided-logo.svg", "https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/assets/site_images/lions/logo_sidelionreport-com__150x150.png", "https://sidelionreport.com/wp-content/themes/fansided-v5/assets/images/apple-app.png", "https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://fansided.com/wp-content/assets/site_images/lions/logo_sidelionreport-com__150x150.png&w=150&h=150", "https://sidelionreport.com/wp-content/themes/fansided-v5/assets/images/android-app.png", "https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://sidelionreport.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1183111922.jpeg&", "https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1578981752316085&ev=PageView&noscript=1"], "movies": [], "text": "DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 17: Damon Harrison #98 of the Detroit Lions walks off the field after a 35-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on November 17, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)\n\nDetroit Lions Damon Harrison is among the most likable players in the NFL but his pending retirement is his own fault and deserves no sympathy from fans.\n\nImmediately following the Detroit Lions Sunday finale against the Green Bay Packers, members of the media were listening to Damon \u201cSnacks\u201d Harrison in tears, mulling retirement. He bemoaned his declining capabilities and not being fair to himself or to the team if his body can\u2019t do what it used to do.\n\nDon\u2019t buy it even for a minute. Despite his enthusiasm for the game and his former All-Pro status, this is a simple case of a voluntary workout and minicamp holdout who let himself get out of shape. He sat at home demanding a new contract extension and shortly after reporting to training camp he got what he wanted, which included a $7.5 million signing bonus along with an extra $1 million as \u201csalary\u201d to boot.\n\nHarrison wasn\u2019t even able to be a part of team practice until they took him off the PUP list 3 weeks into training camp. The trainers were saying they were \u201ceasing him in\u201d as they do with other players who missed the workouts. Translation: He joined the team overweight and out of shape.\n\nIt\u2019s wildly unrealistic that Harrison could end a 2018 season as such a dominating player, then 7 months later have a body deteriorate during an offseason unless he just didn\u2019t take his physical condition seriously. While It\u2019s true that an age 31 body can\u2019t do the same as a 21-year-old\u2019s, a true professional knows that the older body requires a certain type of specialized attention.\n\nWorkouts designed particularly to avoid injury while maintaining overall conditioning. This is common knowledge among professional athletes across the entire spectrum of competitive sports, especially necessary for players of his size. There was no reason for the big defensive lineman to endure any physical punishment in the offseason.\n\nOne exception would be concussions. Lions Pro Bowl guard T.J. Lang, for example, retired at age 31. Lang made a wise move for his long-term brain health experiencing no less than six such injuries in his career. But, when he was on the field he made a big difference. He kept himself in great physical shape and when he was active the Lions running game was noticeably better.\n\nImagine if our star defensive lineman against the run had rejoined the team this year in the same shape he was in at the end of 2018. The Lions were in the lead in 12 of 14 games in 2019. A well-conditioned Harrison could have been the difference between a competitive season and the train wreck we just endured. We\u2019ll never know.\n\nHarrison needs to use the offseason to heal his injuries, drop about 20 pounds and train in a manner of a true professional. While it\u2019s true that the position he plays requires him to be hit harder by bigger guys than most positions, he was on the injury list all season with numerous injuries related to lack of conditioning, such as lingering groin and calf issues.\n\nLions general manager Bob Quinn probably now would welcome Harrison\u2019s retirement as it would free up $11.75 million in salary-cap space. But when Snacks is healthy he is as good as anybody in the league when it comes to stopping the run. That\u2019s not easily replaceable at any price. Damon needs to prove to his fans he is the professional athlete we were so excited to get.\n\nDamon Harrison has every right to make decisions in the best interests of himself and his family. But if we never see him again it will be because he became another fat and happy player who simply took the money and ran. The fact that he is so well-liked and was such a major asset to the team would make it that much more saddening and disappointing.\n\nBeing a Detroit Lions fan is difficult enough, we should demand from our players at least to exercise the appropriate self-discipline to work on strengthening their abilities year-round. If not, don\u2019t expect our sympathy. Just another in a long line of disappointments.", "keywords": [], "meta_keywords": [""], "tags": [], "authors": ["Steven Mullenax", "James F. Puzzuoli", "Jon Poole", "Paul Kasabian"], "publish_date": "Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 2019", "summary": "", "article_html": "", "meta_description": "Detroit Lions Damon Harrison is among the most likable players in the NFL but his pending retirement is his own fault and deserves no sympathy from fans.", "meta_lang": "en", "meta_favicon": "https://sidelionreport.com/wp-content/themes/fansided-v5/favicon.ico", "meta_data": {"HandheldFriendly": "True", "MobileOptimized": 320, "viewport": "width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0", "description": "Detroit Lions Damon Harrison is among the most likable players in the NFL but his pending retirement is his own fault and deserves no sympathy from fans.", "DC.date.issued": "2019-12-31T15:00:27-05:00", "generator": "WordPress 4.9.13", "twitter": {"card": "summary_large_image", "site": "@sidelionreport", "title": "Detroit Lions: Why Damon Harrison\u2019s possible retirement is infuriating", "description": "Detroit Lions Damon Harrison is among the most likable players in the NFL but his pending retirement is his own fault and deserves no sympathy from fans. 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