Steelers' Harrison honored

Linebacker voted best on defense

Kent State once sent a linebacker to the Pittsburgh Steelers who epitomized everything the Steel Curtain was about.

That was Jack Lambert.

The current version of the hard-hitting, versatile and dynamic former Kent Stater in the Steel City is James Harrison, The Associated Press 2008 Defensive Player of the Year.

The linebacker, who had a career-high 16 sacks to set a team record and led the NFL with a career-high seven forced fumbles, beat the Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters announced Monday.

Pittsburgh was the league's stingiest team in total defense, pass defense and points allowed. Harrison was its main hammer.

Harrison earned 22 votes to 13 for Ware.

Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed, the 2004 winner, got eight votes. Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth had five and Harrison's teammate, safety Troy Polamalu, got two.

Harrison credited defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's schemes with allowing him, an undrafted free agent who was cut several times by Pittsburgh and once by Baltimore, to eventually become a star.

But fellow linebacker James Farrior, who has seen Harrison develop from a backup to Joey Porter into one of the game's biggest playmakers, sees Harrison as the key.

"His whole attitude about football, I think he works harder than anybody else in this locker room," Farrior said. "He has a great work ethic. He's very tuned in to what he has to do to make himself better. ... We've got good players on this team, and every team has good players, but he seems to be -- this year and last year -- making the plays that made the difference in the game."

DENVER ADDS TO LIST: Raheem Morris' interviewing skills could make his promotion to defensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a moot point. The Bucs' 32-year-old secondary coach and defensive whiz moved up his interview 48 hours and met with the Denver Broncos about their coaching vacancy Monday.

He's the third candidate to speak with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, who stunned the NFL last week by firing Mike Shanahan after 14 seasons.

Bowlen said he'll focus on finding a GM after he hires a coach. Shanahan had both roles.

Bowlen and his search crew interviewed New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo in New York on Saturday and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Rhode Island on Sunday. Today, the Broncos will host two more offensive coordinators at their team headquarters: Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys and Rick Dennison, a longtime Shanahan deputy.

PACKERS FIRE ASSISTANTS: The Green Bay Packers' season came apart in large part because of a defense that consistently blew fourth-quarter leads. As a result, defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and most of his staff were let go Monday.

Coach Mike McCarthy released six assistants, including five on defense.

Linebackers coach Winston Moss is the only major defensive coach to keep his job and is a likely candidate to take Sanders' place. But Moss, who also carries the title of assistant head coach, is a candidate for the St. Louis Rams' vacant head coaching job.

ELLER SUES POLICE: Minnesota Vikings great Carl Eller has sued the Minneapolis Police Department, alleging officers violated his civil rights, used excessive force and concealed videotape evidence when they subdued him during an arrest in April.

Police said the lawsuit is baseless. The suit seeks more than $75,000, plus punitive damages.

MILLEN MAKES SUPER BOWL: Matt Millen will be offering his opinions on football during NBC's Super Bowl pregame show.

The former Detroit Lions team president, architect of the NFL's first 0-16 squad, will appear on the network again after serving as a studio analyst Saturday during its playoff coverage.

TOMLINSON DOUBTFUL: LaDainian Tomlinson isn't sure if a week's worth of treatment on his groin injury is going to be enough to allow him to play for the San Diego Chargers on Sunday against the Steelers at Pittsburgh.

"This is a tough injury," he said. "I would probably venture to say it's probably the toughest of my career. We'll see what happens."

ELON ALUM HAS A GM JOB: The St. Louis Rams' have an Elon alumnus and former football player in the front office. Billy Devaney, who played the 1975-77 seasons with Elon, joined the Rams' staff in February and was promoted to general manager on Dec. 24.

Devaney is interviewing potential head coaches, including Jim Haslett, who ended the season on a 10-game skid as interim coach but impressed Devaney with an upbeat approach.