It’s never a good idea to get New York Giants defensive stalwart Damon Harrison angry. Apparently, the rest of the NFL never got that memo.
A member of Big Blue is feeling red hot over NFL Network’s Top 100 Players rankings.
New York Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison isn’t Big Blue—but rather red hot—over NFL Network’s annual ranking of the top 100 players in the game.
Harrison, who is entering his third year on the team, was a rare silver lining in the Giants’ brutal 2017 campaign, picking up 76 combined tackles (51 solo) as well as the first interception of his career.
Despite these efforts, however, it appears Harrison will not rank in the annual NFL Top 100 list, a yearly ranking of the top active players. Released in ascending order, the first 30 names of this year’s edition have been unveiled, and Harrison is nowhere to be found.
Originated in 2011, the list is compiled via a poll the NFL sends to its players in the middle of the preceding season, usually around November. Voting on the list is optional, with participating players ranking their top 20 choices.
The voter’s first-place option receives 20 points, while the runner-up gets 19, with each ensuing position receiving one less point each. The final list is broadcast in prime on NFL Network during the offseason.
Harrison, 29, capped off a stellar 2016 season by appearing on the list for the first time, coming in at 96th. But a repeat appearance doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
A handful of NFL veterans, including former Giants teammate Jonathan Casillas, took to Twitter to support Harrison.
Despite an otherwise impressive resume, Harrison has yet to be invited to the Pro Bowl, though he did earn All-Pro honors in 2015 and 2016. According to Pro Football Focus, Harrison leads all interior defenders in defensive stops since 2015, his mark of 147 besting runner-up Aaron Donald by 23.
This isn’t the first issue Harrison has had with the Top 100 this offseason. Back-to-back reveals early in the list drew his ire, as he disagreed with the placements of fellow defensive lineman Mike Daniels of the Green Bay Packers (93rd) and teammate Landon Collins (92nd).
Collins is one of two Giants unveiled thus far, with receiver Odell Beckham Jr. ranking 77th after an injury-shortened season the other. While grateful for the honor, Collins was disappointed by his placement.
Collins ranked 28th on last season’s list, calling it a “blessing” during last summer’s minicamp, though he was “looking to be a little lower next time”.
Prior to his fiery promise, Harrison calmly acknowledged he more than likely would not appear on this season’s edition.
In a public Twitter conversation with the Athletic’s Patricia Traina, he remarked that the reveals of Daniels and Linval Joseph (83rd) meant he wasn’t making the cut, though he offered his praise to both. Joseph, currently with the Minnesota Vikings, was drafted by the Giants in 2010, spending four years with the team before departing via free agency.
The snub notwithstanding, Harrison has managed to have a positive offseason thus far. On Saturday, he officially became a college graduate, earning a degree from William Penn University, where Harrison got his football start on the NAIA level.
Furthermore, the player affectionately referred to as “Snacks” was honored by the United Way of NYC, honored as a “Hometown Hero” on Tuesday night at the charity’s 25th annual Gridiron Gala. Several of Harrison’s teammates, including fellow defenders Andrew Adams, Romeo Okwara, and Robert Thomas, were likewise in attendance.
Revealing 10 players per week, the NFL Top 100 airs Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.