fordfixer
12-29-2010, 01:40 AM
Steelers' Farrior playing young
By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 15649.html (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_715649.html)
Can someone be an unquestioned leader if there are questions about his play?
Fortunately for the Steelers, the question is moot when it comes to inside linebacker and defensive quarterback James Farrior.
Farrior is second on the team in tackles (134) and has a chance to set a career high in sacks Sunday when the Steelers visit the Cleveland Browns with the AFC North title and No. 2 seed in the conference playoffs on the line.
All of Farrior's six sacks have come in the past seven games, making questions of the oldest player on the Steelers making concessions to age seem so, well, 2009.
Not that criticism of Farrior ever weighed heavily on the 6-foot-2, 243-pounder.
"If I read the newspaper, listened to what everybody says, I would have been out of the league a long time ago," said Farrior, who turns 36 in the next two weeks. "I learned a long time ago in New York that you've got to have a thick skin."
Farrior has been such a steadying influence on the Steelers defense for so long that it is easy to forget he spent his first five NFL seasons in the Big Apple.
The Jets took him with the eighth overall selection of the 1997 draft, and that alone put him in the crosshairs of the New York tabloids.
After five solid seasons with the Jets, the Steelers made perhaps the best free-agent signing in franchise history when they lured Farrior to Pittsburgh. He has started all but four games since joining the Steelers in 2002, and in addition to his durability, he has made two Pro Bowls.
One facet of Farrior is undisputed: This has been his defense since the Steelers released outside linebacker Joey Porter after the 2006 season.
"We have a lot of Alpha males in our locker room," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "He's the unquestioned leader of our football team. I think that's all you need to say about James Farrior."
Indeed, Farrior has been voted a captain seven consecutive seasons by his teammates. He also relays the plays from defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to his teammates and has the added responsibilities of making sure everyone is in the right position.
"He's the most important guy on our defense to me," outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "He gets me lined up, gets me where I've got to go. He's playing like the youngest guy on our defense with the way he hits."
Age — and countless on-field collisions — looked like it had caught up with Farrior last season when the Steelers couldn't protect fourth-quarter leads in five of seven losses.
But those who concluded that Farrior had lost a step were off base, said his teammates.
"His elbow was messed up," nose tackle Casey Hampton said. "He'd get to the ball and stuff, but it was hard for him to make plays with one arm. We know how good he is, how valuable he is. I think people around the league know it, but he's just overshadowed by other guys."
Those other guys include teammates such as strong safety Troy Polamalu and outside linebacker James Harrison. Also falling into that category is Ray Lewis, who was drafted the year before Farrior and has received more acclaim than his division rival.
Not that Farrior complains about how his career his played out, especially given his hopes when the veteran of 14 years first entered the NFL.
"I felt like if I got to 10 years, that would be the ultimate career," Farrior said.
Maybe, it was suggested to Farrior, that he is feeling strong enough to play 20 years.
"I don't think I want to," said Farrior, whose contract runs through the 2012 season.
But, he added with a smile, "Fifteen is attainable."
By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 15649.html (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_715649.html)
Can someone be an unquestioned leader if there are questions about his play?
Fortunately for the Steelers, the question is moot when it comes to inside linebacker and defensive quarterback James Farrior.
Farrior is second on the team in tackles (134) and has a chance to set a career high in sacks Sunday when the Steelers visit the Cleveland Browns with the AFC North title and No. 2 seed in the conference playoffs on the line.
All of Farrior's six sacks have come in the past seven games, making questions of the oldest player on the Steelers making concessions to age seem so, well, 2009.
Not that criticism of Farrior ever weighed heavily on the 6-foot-2, 243-pounder.
"If I read the newspaper, listened to what everybody says, I would have been out of the league a long time ago," said Farrior, who turns 36 in the next two weeks. "I learned a long time ago in New York that you've got to have a thick skin."
Farrior has been such a steadying influence on the Steelers defense for so long that it is easy to forget he spent his first five NFL seasons in the Big Apple.
The Jets took him with the eighth overall selection of the 1997 draft, and that alone put him in the crosshairs of the New York tabloids.
After five solid seasons with the Jets, the Steelers made perhaps the best free-agent signing in franchise history when they lured Farrior to Pittsburgh. He has started all but four games since joining the Steelers in 2002, and in addition to his durability, he has made two Pro Bowls.
One facet of Farrior is undisputed: This has been his defense since the Steelers released outside linebacker Joey Porter after the 2006 season.
"We have a lot of Alpha males in our locker room," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "He's the unquestioned leader of our football team. I think that's all you need to say about James Farrior."
Indeed, Farrior has been voted a captain seven consecutive seasons by his teammates. He also relays the plays from defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to his teammates and has the added responsibilities of making sure everyone is in the right position.
"He's the most important guy on our defense to me," outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "He gets me lined up, gets me where I've got to go. He's playing like the youngest guy on our defense with the way he hits."
Age — and countless on-field collisions — looked like it had caught up with Farrior last season when the Steelers couldn't protect fourth-quarter leads in five of seven losses.
But those who concluded that Farrior had lost a step were off base, said his teammates.
"His elbow was messed up," nose tackle Casey Hampton said. "He'd get to the ball and stuff, but it was hard for him to make plays with one arm. We know how good he is, how valuable he is. I think people around the league know it, but he's just overshadowed by other guys."
Those other guys include teammates such as strong safety Troy Polamalu and outside linebacker James Harrison. Also falling into that category is Ray Lewis, who was drafted the year before Farrior and has received more acclaim than his division rival.
Not that Farrior complains about how his career his played out, especially given his hopes when the veteran of 14 years first entered the NFL.
"I felt like if I got to 10 years, that would be the ultimate career," Farrior said.
Maybe, it was suggested to Farrior, that he is feeling strong enough to play 20 years.
"I don't think I want to," said Farrior, whose contract runs through the 2012 season.
But, he added with a smile, "Fifteen is attainable."