Dallas Cowboys All-Pro linebacker Micah Parson has emerged as a prominent critic of former NFL safety and current NBC sports analyst Rodney Harrison. Harrison recently faced backlash for attempting to provoke Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones into criticizing New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson during a post-game interview. Harrison eventually apologized for his actions.
During the interview, Harrison asked Jones if Wilson performed better than expected based on tape. When Jones did not take the bait and instead praised Wilson, Harrison continued to press him, suggesting that Wilson was garbage and should be torn apart. Parsons took to social media to call out Harrison for his unethical interviewing tactics and expressed his frustration with the media’s approach to discussing people.
Parsons tweeted, “Broo honestly I’ll never understand media. This is NOT the way to conduct an interview when talking about people. NBC’s Rodney Harrison called Zach Wilson ‘Garbage’ in the post-game and tried to bait #Chiefs DT Chris Jones into agreeing with him. Felt almost personal. Thankfully Jones didn’t take it.”
Parsons further criticized Harrison during an episode of his podcast, “The Edge,” referring to the interview as fraudulent. He emphasized the importance of not judging others and giving athletes, like Zach Wilson, the opportunity to grow and improve each week.
Parsons was not the only NFL player to condemn Harrison’s comments. Jets tight end Kenny Yeboah expressed his disappointment, stating that it is mind-blowing for someone who played in the NFL to talk this way. Free agent offensive tackle Taylor Lewan went a step further, suggesting that Harrison should be tested for his actions.
Despite the criticism, Jets coach Robert Saleh referred to Harrison’s comments as “water under the bridge” and stated that Harrison had reached out to apologize. Saleh believes that Harrison handled the situation appropriately.
Rodney Harrison played 15 seasons in the NFL as a safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots.