Anthony Harrison
{{Short description|American football player (born 1965)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{good article}}
{{Similar names|Tony Harrison (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Anthony Harrison
| number = 46
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|09|26}}
| birth_place = Toccoa, Georgia, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 195
| high_school = Stephens County (Georgia)
| college = Georgia Tech
| undraftedyear = 1987
| pastteams =
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1987}})
| statlabel1 = Interceptions
| statvalue1 = 1
| statlabel2 = Fumbles recoveries
| statvalue2 = 1
| pfr = HarrAn22
}}
Anthony Harrison (born September 26, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL). He played in three games with the Packers during the 1987 NFL season as a replacement player after the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) went on strike for 24 days. Harrison played college football for the Georgia Institute of Technology before his professional career.
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Early life and college
Anthony Harrison was born on September 26, 1965, in Toccoa, Georgia.{{Cite web | url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HarrAn22.htm | title = Anthony Harrison Stats | website = Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date = August 10, 2023 }} He graduated from Stephens County High School where he played football all four years and was named "North Georgia's back of the year" during his senior season; he also played baseball, hitting for a .512 batting average during his senior season.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-ledger-harrison-works-on-re/129763646/ | title = Harrison Works On Reading | last = Glerer | first = Larry | date = October 26, 1983 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = The Columbus Ledger | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = D-3 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810152136/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-ledger-harrison-works-on-re/129763646/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }} He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he played safety for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph-harrison-im-gettin/129763523/ | title = Harrison: I'm getting better: Part 1 | last = Thompson | first = Chuck | date = October 28, 1983 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = The Macon Telegraph | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = 1C | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151630/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph-harrison-im-gettin/129763523/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }}{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph-harrison-im-gettin/129763563/ | title = Harrison: I'm getting better: Part 2 | last = Thompson | first = Chuck | date = October 28, 1983 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = The Macon Telegraph | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = 3C | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810152135/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph-harrison-im-gettin/129763563/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }} After an injury to a teammate, he became a starter during his freshman year. He started every game as a sophomore.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-ledger-techs-harrison-expe/129763435/ | title = Tech's Harrison Expects Tar Heel to Go Upstairs: Part 1 | last = Glerer | first = Larry | date = October 3, 1985 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = The Columbus Ledger | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = A-10 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151624/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-ledger-techs-harrison-expe/129763435/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }}{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-ledger-techs-harrison-expe/129763451/ | title = Tech's Harrison Expects Tar Heel to Go Upstairs: Part 2 | last = Glerer | first = Larry | date = October 3, 1985 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = The Columbus Ledger | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = A-15 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151638/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-ledger-techs-harrison-expe/129763451/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }}
Professional career
Harrison went undrafted in the 1987 NFL draft. He took part in the Green Bay Packers training camp during the 1987 preseason.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-breaking-strike-not-fu/129763234/ | title = Breaking strike not fun and games for non-union players | last = Egle | first = Jim | date = September 25, 1987 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = The Post-Crescent | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = C-3 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151622/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-breaking-strike-not-fu/129763234/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }} Near the end of the preseason, the Packers waived Harrison.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-index-journal-waived/145122229/ | title = Football | date = August 18, 1987 | access-date = April 10, 2024 | newspaper = The Index-Journal | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = 16 }} After the second week of the 1987 NFL season, the NFLPA went on strike. The third week of the season was cancelled, but weeks 4, 5 and 6 were played with replacement players.{{cite web | title = NFL labor history since 1968 | url = https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?page=nfl_labor_history | website = ESPN.com |agency = Associated Press | date = March 3, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120111105327/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?page=nfl_labor_history | archive-date = January 11, 2012 | access-date = August 9, 2023 | url-status = live }} Harrison was then signed by the Green Bay Packers before a week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings as a replacement player.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sheboygan-press-uecker-first-packer/129763300/ | title = Uecker first Packer player to cross picket line | agency = Associated Press | date = October 14, 1987 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = The Sheboygan Press | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = 34 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151628/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sheboygan-press-uecker-first-packer/129763300/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }} He played three games for the Packers, recording one interception and one fumble recovery. During a week 5 matchup against the Detroit Lions, Harrison tackled an opposing player, forcing a fumble but also injuring his neck. He was taken off the field by a stretcher and transported to the hospital, where he was cleared of any serious injuries.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-packers-suffered/129763355/ | title = Packers suffered when Drost left | last1 = Oates | first1 = Tom | last2 = Cieslewicz | first2 = Greg | date = October 12, 1987 | access-date = August 10, 2023 | newspaper = Wisconsin State Journal | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = 4-2 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151625/https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-packers-suffered/129763355/ | archive-date = August 10, 2023 }} At the end of the strike, Harrison was not among the 16 replacement players who were signed by the Packers.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/stevens-point-journal-not-kept-after-str/145122919/ | title = 16 strike-replacement players earn employment with Packers | agency = Associated Press | date = October 20, 1987 | access-date = April 10, 2024 | newspaper = Stevens Point Journal | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = 11 }}
After his football career, Harrison returned to George Tech and graduated in 1989.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald-graduated/145121471/ | title = Tech Student-Athletes Earn High GPA | date = January 26, 1989 | access-date = April 10, 2024 | newspaper = The Times-Herald | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = 5D }}