Colts release veteran WR Harrison
INDIANAPOLIS (TICKER) —Marvin Harrison, the greatest receiver in Indianapolis Colts’ history, is now looking to catch on with another team.
The Colts on Tuesday released the eight-time Pro Bowler, who is second on the NFL’s all-time receptions list.
The Colts made a last ditch effort to keep the franchise’s career receiving leader, but could not come to an agreement with Harrison’s agent, Tom Condon, on a restructured contract.
Condon said Monday the Colts agreed to release his client after the two sides could not agree on a restructured contract. But Colts owner Jim Irsay was hopeful a deal could be struck Tuesday.
Alas, there was no agreement and Harrison, the franchise’s touchdown leader (127), is without a job.
“You know this day is coming, but it’s not a day you look forward to,” Irsay said.
Harrison set the single-season receptions mark with 143 in 2002.
But the 36-year-old is clearly on the downside of his Hall of Fame career. He is scheduled to make $9 million in 2009 and will cost the Colts approximately $13.4 million on the salary cap.
Cutting Harrison saves Indianapolis nearly $7 million, which financially benefits a team that has handed out lucrative contracts to stars such as Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders in recent years.
Irsay acknowledged that given the salary cap, Harrison’s release is something that has become status quo this time of year.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints released veteran running backs Fred Taylor and Deuce McAllister - the faces of their respective franchises last week to save cap space.
“It’s very seldom that retirement lines up with the team and a player goes out at the same time,” Irsay said. “I wanted to make sure I had a chance to talk to Marvin one last time this afternoon and really thoroughly go through a lot of things together.
“I know he wishes to go forward and pursue opportunities in the National Football League still, something we are doing in our granting his release.”
The move breaks up the most prolific passing tandem in NFL history and signals the end of an era.
Manning, a three-time MVP, and Harrison hold NFL records for most completions (953), yards (12,766) and touchdowns (112) of any quarterback-wide receiver duo since the 1970 merger.
Harrison, who has spent his entire 13-year career in Indianapolis, passed Cris Carter last year for second on the all-time receptions list with 1,102 catches. Irsay said his work ethic was incomparable.
Harrison could be seen running routes with Manning hours before game-time every Sunday.
“He’s an individual who most of you did not have a chance to see how hard he worked,” Irsay said. “His connection with Peyton Manning, how those guys hooked up in ’98 and began the journey and together, set records that will be talked about many many years from now.”
Harrison has become expendable in Indianapolis due to the continued improvement of Wayne and the emergence of third-year wideout Anthony Gonzalez, who caught 57 passes for 664 yards and four TDs last season.
Harrison played in just five games in 2007 due to a knee injury. Last season, he caught 60 passes for a career-low 636 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games.
The 19th overall pick of the 1996 draft, Harrison has 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns in 190 games with the Colts.
“He is an individual that there’ll be time for the ceremonial greatest and what he has meant to this league and what he has meant to this team,” Irsay said.
“That isn’t today, but we still wanted to take the opportunity to really reflect and honor his greatest and all the things he’s done. … I really wish him well and we’ll be looking forward to the day he goes into the Hall of Fame, when he goes into the Ring of Honor at our stadium.”
