Before coming to the Patriots in late 2017, linebacker James Harrison was a Pittsburgh legend. He played against Tom Brady many times, and had very little success.

But when the Steelers cut Harrison, the Patriots quickly signed him and he arrived at Gillette Stadium to become Brady’s teammate. Initially, the veteran pass rusher didn’t want to like the quarterback. Yet, as he explained on a recent episode of FS1’s “Undisputed,” Harrison was quickly won over by Brady’s toughness and professionalism

“Believe me, I wanted to hate this dude with a passion,” Harrison told co-host Shannon Sharpe. “I get there and I’m like, ‘Dude, he’s the ultimate teammate.'”

James Harrison on cold-weather and Tom Brady, and on wanting so badly to hate Brady when he signed with New England late last year. #EverythingWeGot pic.twitter.com/FsfgYGVo7e — Patriots SBLIII ?? (@PatriotsSBLIII) January 15, 2019


Harrison offered a story about how Brady led by example during the cold weather conditions that Bill Belichick likes to run practice in.

“I’m up there, and it was [during] the snowstorm they had. It was [a] crazy, crazy blizzard,” Harrison said. “Cats are like, ‘Man, we really got to go outside?’ Tom goes, ‘Hey, stop complaining. Let’s go.’ He takes off out there with just the little sleeves and all that for practice, like it was nothing.

“Hey man, he’s the truth. I’m not going to lie.”

For Harrison, his short tenure taught him that Brady is an authentic leader. He even opened up to Brady about his preconceived notions.

“He was … just sitting on the thing getting taped,” Harrison said. “I finally was like, ‘You know I wanted to hate you when I got here?’ He just started laughing.”