Harrison Joining NBC Studio Crew

Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who announced his retirement during a conference call this morning, is joining NBC's Football Night in America team.  

Harrison and former Colts coach Tony Dungy will be announced as the latest additions to the FNIA crew during a noon press conference.

Harrison, a 36-year-old, two-time All-Pro made his reputation as one of the hardest-hitting and most passionate players in the league. His style of playing up to (and through) the whistle also earned him a reputation as one of the league's nastiest players.

Asked how if he can bring similar verbal aggression to his analysis, Harrison said this morning, "My goal is just being tough and honest and telling it like it is. When you're honest, sometimes people may not like it, but they also knowyou won't fabricate anything. I am a fan of the game and I respect the game and the players in it. But I will always tell the truth and I think people will appreciate that."

Harrison worked for NBC during February's Super Bowl pregame and spent time this offseason on the NFL Network.  

Stepping into his new role, "gives you an opportunity to stay close to the game and forces you to watch film - which has never been a problem for me."

The lure, Harrison said is, "Being able to watch games and create an overall picture for fans  about what goes on inside and outside the locker room. 'Why did a guy get burned?' 'How can a Patriots defense be exploited or a Cleveland offense?' It about explaining to both the regular Joe who sits for 10 hours watching games on Sunday or the mom who walks in Sunday night and watches for two minutes why things happen."