Broncos cornerback Chris Harris breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati wide receiver A.J. Green in the second half of the December 28, 2015 game. (Eric Lutzens, The Denver Post)
It’s no secret that NFL players often hide or downplay the significance of their injuries. Broncos cornerback Chris Harris is just the latest.
On the Steelers’ second offensive drive, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a short pass to receiver Sammie Coates. Harris struggled to chase Coates and missed the tackle.
After the play he slammed his helmet on the sidelines, the shoulder injury was back.
“It affected my whole game. It was so hard to play,” Harris said. “I preach on getting hands every time on somebody. Itap hard playing my game, and part of my game is taken away. I have to figure out a way.”
The second-team All-Pro selection suffered a deep bone bruise on his left shoulder in the first quarter of the Broncos’ regular season finale against San Diego. He took on a block from Chargers’ tight end Antonio Gates, which he said hit him square on the bone.
Harris finished the game, but was clearly in pain afterwards. He rehabbed during the bye week and a portion of the week in preparation of the Steelers before returning to practice.
Harris said he had to take himself out of his usual role of playing nearly every snap Sunday against Pittsburgh. Cornerback Bradley Roby came in for Harris on base snaps. Harris strictly played nickel cornerback. He said he expects Sunday’s AFC championship game to be similar.
“I played with one arm the whole game,” Harris said. “You saw it out there I could barely move.”
Roby forced a key fumble on Steelers’ running back Fitzgerald Toussaint that led to the Broncos’ game-winning touchdown.
Harris was delegated to playing a lot of trail and off coverage due to his inability to jam receivers at the line.
The injury is especially notable with shifty Patriots’ receiver Julian Edelman coming to town Sunday.
