Steel Mill A.M.: Steelers' James Harrison knows the clock is ticking

When James Harrison on Thursday reported to an NFL training camp for the 15th time, he was doing so 12 weeks after becoming the league's only active defensive player to celebrate his 39th birthday.

The Steelers linebacker showed up driving a fire truck – a genuine fire truck – keenly aware that whether or not it was his final Reporting Day, it certainly was the final Reporting Day of his 30s.

“I'm almost 40 years old, and it's not a game for a guy of my age,” Harrison said before moving into the Rooney Hall dormitory at St. Vincent College.

“Do I feel 40? I don't know,” Harrison said a few moments later. “I feel all right. I'm not gonna lie – the mornings aren't too good. But after I get past that, it's all right.”

Last season was all right for Harrison, who began the season technically as the backup to Jarvis Jones in a timeshare at right outside linebacker but ultimately earned the gig on a virtual every-down basis by the time the postseason began.

Harrison played 117 of the Steelers' 124 defensive snaps in their playoff victories against Miami and Kansas City, finishing the postseason with a team-high 2 ¹⁄₂ sacks.

The conventional wisdom is that Harrison was enabled to be so effective come November, December and January (he had all five of his regular-season sacks over a five-game stretch Nov. 6-Dec. 4) because the Steelers limited his snaps and the resulting wear-and-tear on his body during August, September and October.

How would Harrison feel about a similar arrangement in 2017? What if the head coach Mike Tomlin or position coach Joey Porter told him they'd rotate his playing time with another player when the regular season began?

“They gonna say that anyway,” Harrison said in his typically matter-of-fact stoicism. “I mean, (I'm not in favor of rotating) a whole game, but I don't have a problem with rotating in and out. But I would prefer to rotate less than we were doing at the beginning (of 2016).”

No matter how strong Harrison appears or plays, it would seem highly unlikely he will be playing any more than half the snaps once the regular season begins Sept. 10 because the Steelers spent their first-round pick on his eventual replacement, T.J. Watt.

Tomlin declined to divulge the tentative plan for the timeshare at right outside linebacker, saying only there “absolutely” was one.

“Maybe Coach Porter will give you a rep count,” Tomlin said with a laugh, referring to draft day 2015 when Porter told media Harrison would be best if he played 25 snaps per game.

Harrison averaged 44.7 snaps played in 17 games that year (including the playoffs).

“I feel like I'm good for anything from 45 to 55 snaps per game,” Harrison said Thursday.

Harrison said he reported at about 267 pounds but intends on playing at between 255-260, which is where he played last season despite weighing more than 275 pounds when training camp began.

Almost certainly, when practices begin Friday and for the immediate future thereafter, Tomlin will limit Harrison to individual drills on the side in an effort to preserve his veteran. A familiar sight early during camps the past two years was Harrison in a full gray sweatsuit running sprints alone on a field adjacent to the rest of the team.

Will it be the final late summer anyone sees that? Or does Harrison intend to become the rare linebacker who keeps playing into his 40s?

He vowed Thursday to keep playing “as long as I'm blessed to be able to do so.”

“I feel like I am doing enough to help my team,” he said later.

“Definitely, if it comes to a point in time where it's no longer, you know, fun for me, then I'll walk away.”

That time certainly hasn't arrived yet.

“I'm blessed to be here, so I thank God first and foremost. Whatever time I get, it's a blessing. I will do with it what I can.”

Notes from camp

Quote of the day: “He better not. I told him, I gotta leave when he leaves. So we need at least three or four (more years).” – center Maurkice Pouncey on if this could be Ben Roethlisberger's final season.

Stock Up: Running back James Conner not only passed his conditioning test and apparently was healthy upon reporting to camp (the rookie missed most of the summer workouts because of a hamstring injury), he also will benefit from the increased reps during Le'Veon Bell's absence.

Stock Down: Safety Damion Stafford was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report List by the Steelers – probably fair to say that's not a good sign he'll end up on the 53-man roster come September.

Friday practice: 2:55 p.m., Chuck Noll Field, open to the public