(Image Source: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

BY TOM MARTIN

ANCHOR AUSTIN KIM

The drama surrounding the NFL just keeps getting richer.  Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison took a less than subtle shot at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell back in February.

“I just want to tackle them softly on the ground. And if y’all can, we’ll lay a pillow down where I tackle them so they don’t hit the ground too hard, Mr. Goodell.”

Now he’s upped the ante -- calling Goodell a gay slur and a quote- “devil” in the August issue of Men’s Journal. And he didn’t stop there.

“Up until last year, there was no word of me being [a dirty player] — till Roger Goodell, who’s a crook and a puppet, said I was the dirtiest player in the league. If that man was on fire and I had to piss to put him out, I wouldn’t do it. I hate him and will never respect him.”

The Steelers’ sack artist was docked a collective $100,000 in 2010 for illegal hits -- many of which came against quarterbacks. Harrison has voiced his disgust with the NFL’s increased protection of its players before, but CBS’ Gregg Doyel says this latest rant requires a stern league response:

“I'm thinking $250,000 and a game suspension. Maybe more, given that Harrison has been a thorn in the league's side for years -- handing out concussions as if they were lollipops, attacking players in the head in an era when that is strictly forbidden... Whatever Goodell does to Harrison, I'll support it.”

Harrison’s tirade targets didn’t end with Goodell. He also called out teammates Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall -- the latter, he referred to as a “fumble machine.” Pittsburgh fans at the blog Steelers Lounge took issue with the comments and questioned Harrison’s short memory:

“It’s also worth pointing out that while Harrison was blaming his teammates and complaining about missing rings, he conveniently left out the part where he managed to get one of his rings because [Roethlisberger] bailed out the defense after blowing a double-digit fourth quarter lead in the previous Super Bowl.”

So Harrison targeted people on all sides of the football equation -- but is he crazy? ESPN’s Cris Carter believes beneath the surface, there lies plenty of substance:

“If you really slow him down and listen to it, he does say some things that are very very important. There is a double-standard in the National Football League. If you look at the owners and at the commissioner trying to increase the length of the season to eighteen games - now, that is not in the best interest of the National Football League or the health of the players. As far as his other comments, be very careful.”

Due to the lockout, the NFL cannot currently punish any players for actions deemed inappropriate. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league has no comment.