​Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison is convinced that the New England Patriots stole at least one Super Bowl championship from the Pittsburgh Steelers. In a recent appearance on the Deebo & Joe podcast, Harrison revisited the cheating allegations against the Patriots dating back to the 2004 AFC Championship Game. The Steelers’ legendary edge rusher asserts that the Patriots were able to read Pittsburgh’s signals and knew which defensive plays would be called on the field, including every blitz.
Harrison pointed to the sequence of that season, noting that the Steelers had defeated the Patriots earlier 34-20, only for New England to rebound by traveling to Pittsburgh and delivering a 41-27 playoff defeat. “They did a little finagling over there,” Harrison said. “That one year, the year that we were undefeated, we beat them and Philly back-to-back, and then they came to the AFC Championship Game. Bruh, when I say they caught us, they only missed one blitz. What in the world, Joe? How many times in your career have you ever seen where an offense get ya’ll on every blitz you do but one? That’s like playing Tecmo Bowl, and I get your play. It’s over with.” He reflected on that moment as a turning point: “I was like, ‘Yeah, we about to get to the Super Bowl.’ And we were at home. We were at the crib. That was upsetting and disappointing. That should have been a back-to-back because the next year we won.”
Joe Haden, Harrison’s co-host and a former Steelers cornerback, chimed in by saying that the Patriots “stole a two-piece” from Pittsburgh. Harrison countered, “They stole a one-piece at least.” The conversation underscored Harrison’s long-standing suspicion that the 2004 AFC Championship Game was tainted by misused information, a belief that continues to nag at him despite the many seasons since.
Harrison’s connection to the Patriots came later in his career, when he signed with New England during the 2017 season. That finish marked the end of his storied NFL tenure. Over the years, Harrison has spoken highly of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, often praising their greatness while acknowledging lingering frustrations from the 2004 season. Brady, for his part, compiled a 12-4 record against the Steelers in total play, including a perfect 3-0 record in postseason matchups. The Steelers have been a consistently formidable franchise, but Brady’s teams have typically found ways to prevail against them when the stakes were highest.
This ongoing debate adds another layer to the broader discussion about competitive advantage and competitive integrity in the NFL’s most storied rivalry. Whether fans agree or disagree with Harrison’s assessment, his comments revive memories of one of professional football’s most scrutinized playoff competitions and keep alive the long-standing “what if?” questions surrounding the Steelers and Patriots during that era.