Rodney Harrison seems to have had a much better experience with the New England Patriots than he did with the then-San Diego and now-Los Angeles Chargers.

The retired safety and current NBC Sports analyst threw shade at Chargers owners Dean and Alex Spanos while praising Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

“I played for the San Diego Chargers, and not once did I see the owner on the practice field,” Harrison said during Super Bowl media week. “Mr. Kraft did it. It didn’t matter if it was 80 degrees. It didn’t matter if it was 12 degrees. He was out there asking about your wife, asking about your daughter. It’s the little things, like how classy this guy is. And that’s why the players come there and they don’t mind falling in line, because you know you’re going to win football games and you know that they’re going to take care of you.”

He added: “It’s not just about winning. It’s about personal relationships.”

Harrison is one of many Chargers stars who emerged in San Diego but graduated to excel with other franchises. Quarterback Drew Brees is the most obvious example of that. He played in San Diego for five years, but the Chargers bailed on him after a shoulder injury, so Brees went on to join the New Orleans Saints, throwing for more than 4,000 yards in every season he’s been there.

“They were dumb to let him go, just like they were dumb to let all these other players go like myself, Junior [Seau]. And that’s what happens,” Harrison said. “When you’re that dumb running a football program, then someone else is going to be the beneficiary.”

Seau spent time with the Patriots after leaving the Chargers, though he first went to the Miami Dolphins in 2003.

Harrison went on to win two Super Bowls with the Patriots and has become one player Belichick references as a superlative example of leadership qualities and instincts. While Harrison spent nine seasons with the Chargers and six with the Patriots, he is probably sooner associated with New England.

“It’s so unfortunate what happened between the organization and me, because the fans may think I’m choosing to be a Patriot when I feel I’m a San Diego Charger. I didn’t agree with the way the organization did me,” Harrison said. “But the Patriots have embraced me. Robert Kraft — he’s embraced me. Bill Belichick — he’s looked out for me. And I respect the fans of San Diego, and hopefully I can repair my relationship with the organization.”

But in the meantime, he still has some critiques for the Chargers.

“The organization has to do a better job reaching out to players and letting players know they have to be appreciated, and not using them. The Patriots — they’re a football organization first. It’s about winning. It’s not about the [B.S.]. It’s not about the nonsense. It’s about winning football games,” Harrison said. “That’s why, when you go and you see Randy Moss, Corey Dillon, myself, and you’ll go there and you’ll take less money to learn from the very best. That’s what gets me pumped up. If you’re not about winning football games, then I don’t want to be around you.”

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