Rodney Harrison Rodney Scott Harrison ( born December 15 , 1972 ) is a retired professional football player of the National Football League . Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots . He was a two - time Pro Bowl selection and winner of two Super Bowl rings . Early years . Harrison went to high school at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights , Illinois . In March 2006 , Marian Catholic retired Harrison ' s # 37 jersey , although Harrison never actually wore # 37 while in high school . Harrison ' s varsity numbers were # 26 as a sophomore , # 11 as a junior and # 3 as a senior . Harrison graduated from high school in 1991 . College career . Harrison played college football at Western Illinois University from 1991 to 1993 . He is the school ' s record - holder for tackles in a career ( 345 ) and tackles in a game ( 28 ) . As a freshman , Harrison was a second - team All - Gateway Football Conference before being named a first - team All - Gateway pick as a sophomore and junior . The Associated Press also named him a second - team All - American as a sophomore and a first - team All - American as a junior . Professional career . San Diego Chargers . Harrison was drafted in the fifth round of the 1994 draft , ( 145th overall ) by the San Diego Chargers , the same year they made their only Super Bowl ( XXIX ) to date , which they lost to the San Francisco 49ers . Harrison became a starting member of the Chargers ' 1996 defense , going to two Pro Bowls with the Chargers in 1998 and 2001 . He set then - career highs with the Chargers in 2000 with 127 tackles and six interceptions ; in 2002 he started 13 games and recorded 88 tackles in his final season with the Chargers . New England Patriots . 2003 . Following the 2002 season , on February 27 , 2003 , Harrison was released by the Chargers . Two weeks later , on March 13 , Harrison landed with the Patriots , signing a six - year deal . At the time , the Patriots had both Harrison and fellow Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy under contract . Throughout the offseason , though , the Patriots and Milloy were involved in contract negotiations , with the Patriots requesting Milloy take a pay cut or be released . Milloy did not comply , and on September 2 , he was released . Prior to the 2003 season , Harrison was named a defensive captain in his first year with the Patriots by his teammates . On January 10 , 2004 in the divisional playoff game against the Tennessee Titans , he intercepted Steve McNair , which set up Antowain Smith ' s touchdown , as New England would hold on for a 17 – 14 win . In the AFC Championship Game the next week against the Indianapolis Colts , Harrison intercepted Peyton Manning in the end zone and forced a Marvin Harrison fumble , recovered by teammate Tyrone Poole . Harrison then went on to help the New England Patriots win their second title in three years , against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII , 32 – 29 . He fractured his right arm late in the game , but a Tom Brady - led drive and Adam Vinatieri field goal secured the Patriots ' victory . In his 10th year in the league , Harrison earned his first Super Bowl ring . Harrison was also named to the Associated Press ' All - Pro team following a 140 - tackle ( a 2003 NFL best for a defensive back ) and three - sack season in which he started all 16 regular season games . 2004 . The 2004 season produced a similar performance . Harrison helped New England ' s defense finish second in the NFL in scoring for 2004 . For the second straight season , Harrison ' s 138 tackles led all defensive backs in the NFL . Harrison also started all sixteen regular season games for the sixth time in his career , holding together a Patriots secondary that was without Ty Law and Tyrone Poole for the majority of the season . In the Patriots ' divisional playoff game against the Colts , Harrison intercepted Peyton Manning late in the game to end the Colts ' last chance . The next week in the AFC Championship , Harrison jumped a Ben Roethlisberger pass and took it 87 yards for a touchdown , helping the Patriots defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers , 41 – 27 . During the week leading up to the Super Bowl , Harrison got into a verbal feud with Philadelphia Eagles receiver Freddie Mitchell after Mitchell claimed he " had something for Harrison " and did not know the names of the New England secondary . Harrison , in Super Bowl XXXIX , would record seven tackles , a sack , and two interceptions of quarterback Donovan McNabb , despite missing almost an entire quarter due to an injury sustained during the game . The second interception , with ten seconds remaining in the game , preserved a 24 – 21 Patriot win , ensuring a third championship in four years . 2005 – 2008 . The 2005 season began a string of multiple injuries for the 12th - year safety , with Harrison ' s season coming to an end on September 25 against the Pittsburgh Steelers , when he was hit in the knee by a falling Cedrick Wilson and tore the anterior cruciate , medial collateral , and posterior cruciate ligament s in his left knee . Harrison was subsequently placed on the injured reserve list , ending his season . Slightly over 10 months after his season - ending injury , Harrison returned to Patriots ' practice for the first time on August 7 , 2006 . After sporadic playing time in the preseason , Harrison started the first seven of the Patriots ' games in 2006 , totaling 23 tackles and one sack . However , while making a tackle on Marvin Harrison against the Colts on November 5 , Harrison injured his right shoulder and missed the next six weeks of the season . He returned to the Patriots in week 16 , but his season was ended the following week in Tennessee after a low block from Bobby Wade injured his right knee . Harrison was suspended for the first four games of the 2007 regular season for admitting to federal investigators that he knowingly obtained and used human growth hormone ( HGH ) . Harrison stated to the media that he used " a banned substance " for " accelerating the healing process from injuries [ he ] sustained playing football , " and " never to gain a competitive edge . " In addition , according to federal agents and Harrison himself , Harrison received a shipment of HGH , with his name on it , just days before Super Bowl XXXVIII in February 2004 . In 2007 , Harrison was also the player whom David Tyree made his historic catch over in Super Bowl XLII , eventually leading to the New York Giants beating the Patriots 17 – 14 . The loss ended the Patriots ' hopes of a perfect season , ending their record at 18 - 1 , the one loss coming in the Super Bowl . Harrison ' s 2008 season ended early when , in an October 20 game against the Denver Broncos , Harrison tore his right quadriceps femoris muscle on a play , was carted off the field , and placed on injured reserve . Retirement . On June 3 , 2009 , Harrison announced his retirement from football to become an analyst for NBC Sports ' " Football Night in America " . Patriots head coach Bill Belichick soon after called Harrison one of the best players he had ever coached . Controversy . Harrison was voted the " dirtiest player " in the NFL by his peers according to a 2004 poll conducted by " Sports Illustrated " . In 2006 , Harrison once again topped the " dirtiest player " voting by 361 other NFL players . In 2008 , NFL coaches awarded the title to Harrison in an anonymous poll conducted by ESPN . He has also been fined and suspended multiple times , and as of 2002 , had racked up over $ 200 , 000 in fines by the NFL . A notable suspension occurred in 2002 after a helmet - to - helmet hit on the Oakland Raiders ' Jerry Rice .