Courage of a Lion

Harrington confident about Detroit QB challenge

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- It goes by a lot of different names, that somewhat undefinable quality that successful NFL quarterbacks all seem to possess. Call it moxie, presence or surpreme self-confidence. But whatever it is, Joey Harrington has it.

Detroit's first-round draft choice had it on display Sunday afternoon in his first appearance at the team's headquarters, a day after the Lions made him the NFL's third overall pick and set in motion the franchise's newest quarterback saga.

Whether it was passing out bumper stickers to members of the media to help them correctly pronounce Oregon -- it's Orygun, not Or-a-gahn -- or telling Lions president and CEO Matt Millen that he's sticking with "Joey," whether the boss likes the moniker or not, Harrington was as calm, cool and collected as you could possibly expect any 23-year-old future millionaire to be.

Harrington, of course, has been assigned to an NFL quarterback's version of the Bermuda Triangle: Detroit. The Lions haven't had a Pro Bowl passer since Greg Landry in 1972, and they haven't a true success story at the position since Bobby Layne hung up his facemask-less helmet.

No matter. The Lions' lack of pedigree at quarterback doesn't seem to faze Harrington. Even better, he's warming to the idea.

"I like that," Harrington said. "I actually never thought of that, coming in not having to worry about stepping into somebody's shadow. That's kind of nice."

Lions fans want to believe that the 40-year drought has finally ended. That Harrington represents the quarterback who will erase Detroit's revolving door policy at the game's most vital position. But if that thought awes him, you couldn't tell it Sunday. Harrington handled the burden-of-history question with aplomb.

SI's Don Banks Detroit Lions president and CEO Matt Millen talked about his team's well-received but intriguing selection of Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington in the first round of the NFL draft. Complete story, click here.

"Right now, [the fans] have nothing to base [their belief] on," he said. "But I know I'm here for the right reason."

Given that I can count the number of Oregon games I've watched on one hand, I'm not all that sure how Harrington handles pressure in the pocket. But I've got a pretty good feel for how he deals with the other kind of pressure that goes with the quarterback position, just by listening to him at his first Lions news conference. From the sound of it, with just the right blend of awareness and bring-it-on arrogance.

"I dealt with some pressure last year with that whole billboard down in New York," Harrington said, mentioning the Times Square mural that was supposed to fuel his Heisman candidacy. "I know it's a little bit different from the college level to the pro level, but I don't think many college players have seen the kind of scrutiny that came with that billboard. I know how I can perform. I put more pressure on myself than anybody else does."

Harrington also hit just the right notes on the topic of how quickly he expects to play in the NFL. With a pair of Lions quarterbacks currently ahead of him on the depth chart -- both second-year man Mike McMahon and veteran backup Ty Detmer -- Harrington struck the correct balance between eagerness and impatience, confidence and ignorance.

Is the opening-day assignment important to him? Well, yes, and no.

"I expect to come in here and compete," he said. "By my nature, I don't want to be sitting on the sideline. But I know there is a definite learning curve when a quarterback comes in and has to play right away. There are some good things about that, but a lot of bad things that happen as well. I don't think there's been a tremendously successful rookie quarterback maybe since Dan Marino."

Nobody had to mention that the last two quarterbacks the Lions drafted -- Charlie Batch and McMahon -- wound up starting at some point in their rookie seasons, but neither one finished the year because of health problems. And before them, swings and misses on Lions-drafted quarterbacks like Eric Hipple, Chuck Long, Rodney Peete, and Andre Ware all still resonate in Detroit.

"I'm not expecting to walk in here and have them hand me a job," said Harrington, who Sunday was at least handed his old collegiate jersey number, No. 3, matching his draft spot. "I think all three of us bring something different to the table. In one respect, yes, I want to be on the field. But if I don't [start right away], I now I need to learn. I need to grow."

The Lions as an organization finally might have begun sowing the seeds of success Saturday when they showed the foresight to nix the quick-fix thinking and draft Harrington. If they take their time and develop him correctly, Harrington could provide a 10-year solution to the team's most problematic position.

If he does, they'll look back and say of Harrington that he had it from the very start. That you knew he was the one the very first day he walked in here.

Was Sunday that day? That's the question Harrington and the rest of us get to find out together. Starting Monday.

Don Banks covers pro football for CNNSI.com.

 

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