Vrabel Says the League Shouldn’t Suspend or Fine Harrison

Recently retired linebacker Mike Vrabel doesn’t believe linebacker James Harrison should be fined or suspended for his comments about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Harrison called Goodell “stupid,” “a puppet,” “dictator” and an anti gay slur in the August issue of Men’s Journal.

In an interview on Boston’s WEEI radio, Vrabel said the NFLPA “would have an issue if (Harrison) were suspended or fined.”

“I know that James Harrison is a heck of a player and one the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans and their coaches probably really enjoy and are glad that he’s on their team,” he said. “As long as his teammates are fine with it, we support him as an association.”

“Do you think that Roger Goodell is a crook? I don’t think that anybody would read that and think that he’s somehow taking the money that James Harrison is fined and putting it in his pocket. I don’t think anyone believes that,” Vrabel said. “I think it was said as, ‘Man, this guy is taking money from me, he’s fining money from me and my teammates and players around the league.’ And that money is going to charity and it going to a good cause. But there are certain things that are said that you kind of just have to take it at 30,000 feet and move on.”

“Roger’s got big shoulders, Roger understands,” Vrabel said. “I would say to Roger or anybody else that had a problem with it, I would say what Bill (Belichick) said to us: To (those who) much is given, much is expected. And Roger is given a lot in form of compensation and being in the situation that he’s in so there’s a lot expected of him. And if that means taking the higher road and calling James and trying to figure out how to get this thing settled between them or whatever issue they have going on.”