Defensive Tackle Damon Harrison
December 21, 2017
Q: What does it mean to you that coach Spagnuolo thinks that highly of you to recognize you for the Pro Bowl even though you were not named a starter?
A: It’s Spags. I know he’s one of my biggest supporters. We’ve built a great relationship over the past two years and I just think I do a good job of doing exactly what he asks me to do. So anytime he shows some support for me publicly, I know he’ll be more than happy to do it, but not only to receive the recognition from people outside of this building, but to have guys in this building know I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to do, that’s a little more satisfying than a Pro Bowl.
Q: What does it mean in a season like this that you’re able to keep your individual stuff together despite some difficulties record wise?
A: Well at that point when you’re not achieving the team goals, you have to just look within yourself and I think you should do that in the beginning as well because if you can be the best that you can possibly be, then that will help the team go. Unfortunately, this year we weren’t able to accomplish what we set out to accomplish. No matter the outcome of games or whether we have a winning record or a losing record, we just got to go out there and keep fighting. I don’t want to be one of those guys 10 years from now when they’re talking about this Giants team and they can say I wasn’t handling my business.
Q: With all of the changes on the Cardinals offensive line and at quarterback, how much does that change how you guys prepare?
A: I think they’re playing two quarterbacks, right?
Q: I think they’re going with (Drew) Stanton this week.
A: It’s just another guy you have to look at some past film on to be able to properly evaluate him. I think those guys are a little more mobile than (Carson) Palmer was, but at the same time they’re NFL quarterbacks and they’ve had some success in this league, so you still got to give them the same respect, no matter who the offensive line is.
Q: Does it make it harder to watch film on the offensive line because it’s changed so much throughout the season?
A: Offensive lines usually work well together, so if you don’t see a lot of those guys together consistently then it’s hard to formulate an opinion on exactly how you can attack them in the game. You just try to dissect each one individual when you can. But yeah, it makes it tough.
Q: Do you have any thoughts on your former teammate Muhammad Wilkerson’s contract situation?
A: I can only worry about the New York Giants sir. He’s a good friend of mine, I wish him the best. I don’t understand the situation in its entirety so it will be hard for me to comment on.
Q: How hard has it been for this locker room to stay together?
A: Not hard at all. We got some guys who love the game of football and they understand we still have a job to do. A lot of the guys don’t want to be known as that guy who is not doing what he’s supposed to do. So it’s not hard at all. We still got guys in good spirits. If there wasn’t then I guess I would have more to say on that, but you just don’t see it.
Q: When you don’t get the respect to be nominated to the Pro Bowl, does that burn within you?
A: Yeah it definitely does because I go out there and I give it my all and not to get that recognition, no matter how small or great, that’s something that I’ll never forget. But at the same time, the guys that I named on Twitter, I knew that they were much more deserving than I was so it was a no brainer. I can’t get mad and say to pull any of those guys out so I can go in there in their spots. They deserve it.
Q: Have you put any thought into what’s stopping you from getting that nomination?
A: Yeah, I think if I played more on third down than possibly, but the scheme is not fit for me to be in on third down and that’s what they ask me to do. I just try to excel on first and second down and whatever third down opportunities I get, but most definitely if I was in on third.
Q: How tough of a season has this been for JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul)
A: He’s been banged up and he’s still out here playing and that’s just a credit to him. Obviously he’s been to the mountain top and now he sees what it’s like to be down low. So I tip my hat to him because he’s still out there week in and week out trying, trying hard even though we can see that he’s hurting.
Q: Does he ever talk about his hand in the club?
A: No man, he’s a trooper with that. He doesn’t blame anything on that hand. He’s still around throwing other people around with that club. I don’t know if you see it, but it’s amazing. But no, he doesn’t let it handicap him.
Q: Is it a limitation to wear the club in your mind?
A: Other than the fact that he can’t grab, I think that would be about it.
Q: Do you think him wanting to be able to get on the field these last two weeks is like what you’re talking about? About not wanting to be remembered 10 years from now as a guy who didn’t give it his all?
A: Yeah, I mean if you know JPP you know he’s one of those guys where he just wants to be out there. He doesn’t want to come off the field. He just loves the game of football. So if he has a possibility to play these last two, I know for sure he’ll take it.
Q: Can you draw aspiration from that?
A: Yeah, I mean this year been tough on me physically, more so than the other years. It just seems like every week is something new and I don’t have a chance to properly heal from something else because now I got to ignore that and I got some other things going on. But just being there on game day in the stadium, it gets me up, it gets me going and to see guys like JPP and Landon (Collins) and a host of other guys fighting through it, why shouldn’t I?
Q: Are you surprised last year that you made All-Pro, but not the Pro Bowl? Usually it’s the other way around.
A: Yeah, somebody is seeing something that I’m doing good so hopefully I get the All-Pro nod this year, but if not, it’s business as usual.
Q: Does it make you hungrier?
A: Yeah, I guess you could say that because at the end of the day, we all want to be recognized for what we do whether it be All-Pro or your team or anything, so yeah.