New England Patriots Legend Tom Brady: 'Mean' Rodney Harrison Deserves Hall of Fame Case

Tom Brady made a fiery case for fellow former New England Patriot Rodney Harrison to presumably join him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Oct 14, 2007; Irving, TX, USA; New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison celebrates a sack against / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady is an undeniable lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he believes that a fellow former New England Patriot's case should be equally ironclad.

Brady's recent appearance on the web series "Deep Cut" took over the gridiron news cycle after the legendary quarterback hinted at ending his retirement (again). Thus buried in the segment was Brady's ringing endorsement of former teammate Rodney Harrison for inclusion in Canton, as the thrower hardly hesitated when host Vic Blends inquired about his most underrated teammate that showed up in his lengthy NFL career.

"To me, (he's) one of the greatest football players the league has ever seen and doesn't get the recognition," Brady emphatically declared. "He should be in the Hall of Fame. He was as good a competitor, defensive player, smart, tough, physical, f***ing mean out there on the field. I loved it, and I loved playing with him."

Oct. 5, 2008; San Francisco, CA, USA; New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison (37) delivers a / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Brady and Harrison collaborated for six seasons in Foxborough (2003-08) after the latter came over from the San Diego Chargers. Harrison cemented his legacy as one of the hardest-hitting defenders in the league during his time with the Patriots and helped the team win two Super Bowls.

While Harrison was often labeled a dirty player, he continues to hold a sterling reputation in New England: he was named to the franchise's 50th Anniversary Team in 2009 and was elected to the team Hall of Fame a decade later. In one of his final statement at the helm of the Patriots, Bill Belichick referred to Harrison as the "best safety (he'd) ever coached."

"He could cover. He really could play corner. He was a great blitzer, a great tackler," Belichick lauded, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports. "He was really hard to block in the running game, as a blitzer and on kickoff coverage. (He was) very explosive, 220 pounds, whatever he was."

"He was a thumper. He was a contact player, ran well, very instinctive. He did a great job of disguising coverages ... He’s just a heck of a football player.”