James Harrison's agent, Steelers President Art Rooney II say alleged payment for hit never happened

James Harrison is in the news after saying Mike Tomlin handed him an envelope for his devastating hit on Mohamed Massaquoi. The Steelers deny the claim

Former Steelers great James Harrison is under fire after claiming that Mike Tomlin handed him an envelope after his devastating hit on Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in 2010. 

Harrison was fined $75,000 for his actions. 

"Listen, on everything I love, on my daddy’s grave, I hit that man with about 50 percent of what I had and I just hit him because I wanted him to let loose of the ball," Harrison said on the Going Deep podcast. "If i had knew they was gonna fine me $75,000, I would have tried to kill him.

"Dude, I’m telling you, 75? And I ain’t gonna lie to you, when that happened, the G-est thing Mike Tomlin ever did, he handed me an envelope after that. I ain’t gonna say what, but he handed me an envelope after that."

Harrison's claim was met with league-wide criticism. Steelers President Art Rooney II denied it in a statement. 

“I am very certain nothing like this ever happened,” Rooney said. “I have no idea why James would make a comment like this but there is simply no basis for believing anything like this.”

Rooney isn't the only one denying the claim. Harrison's agent chimed in on the matter. 

“Absolutely not. Never happened,” agent Bill Parise told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I would have known that. It didn’t happen.

“James and I are still together. We were really close during our 18 years. He would have said something along the way.”

The league could investigate the situation, but the hit happened 10 years ago. Is there enough evidence to punish the Steelers or Tomlin?

Harrison spent 14 years with the Steelers. He also played for the Bengals in 2013 and joined the Patriots for one final playoff run at the end of the 2017 season.