Sunday, April 21, 2002
Harrington surprised by Detroit
Lions president Millen wants 'stability' at QB
The Associated Press
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Even Joey Harrington was sure the Detroit Lions were going to bypass him with the third pick in the NFL draft.
“I was unbelievably surprised,” the former Oregon quarterback said Saturday. “Honestly, I had been told five minutes earlier that they were going in another direction. So I was just about to sit down with my mom and dad and watch the Lions pick someone else, and then I got a phone call.”
Harrington was the second quarterback picked after Fresno State's David Carr was taken with the No.1 choice by Houston.
“I was shocked. I was caught off guard, but I'm thrilled to be there,” Harrington said.
Lions president Matt Millen said it was very difficult to pass up Quentin Jammer, who would've filled a desperate need at cornerback, but the opportunity to select a franchise quarterback won out.
“We have to have stability at the quarterback position,” Millen said. “We just have to. It hasn't been here since fill in the blank.”
The Lions, 2-14 last season, haven't had a quarterback play in the Pro Bowl since Greg Landry did in 1971, and they have not had long-term stability at the position since Bobby Layne started from 1951 until Detroit won the NFL title in 1957.
Since then, the Lions have used more than 20 starting quarterbacks — and have won only one playoff game.
Though Millen said Harrington is the quarterback of the future, he does not expect him to start Week 1 at Miami.
“Mike McMahon is ahead of Joey Harrington,” Millen said. “That's just obvious. He knows the system better.”
Harrington is looking forward to battling McMahon, last year's fifth-round pick who led the Lions to their first win after an 0-12 start.
“It will be fun,” Harrington said. “That's part of football. That competition makes your team better.”
The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder was 24-4 as a starter at Oregon and led 10 fourth-quarter comebacks. He threw 23 touchdowns with just five interceptions last season and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
“He's not unbelievable in any one area,” Millen said. “He's just really, really good in a bunch of them. And on top of that, he's got the intangibles. He's got all the things you're looking for in a quarterback ... and that position is the most-important position.”
Harrington said Millen's assessment that he's not great in any one facet, but good in many, is accurate.
“I think what I bring to the table isn't necessarily all physical skills,” he said. “I have the ability to play at this level, but I'm not a player who is going to go out and run a 4.3 or throw a bomb 75 yards down the field. That's just not my style.”
Harrington thought Kansas City at No.8, Cincinnati at 10 or Washington at 18 would select him. But the uncertainty of when he would be drafted had no bearing on his decision to decline an offer to be in New York for the draft.
He wanted to be surrounded by his family at his aunt and uncle's house in his hometown of Portland, Ore.
“My family has been a very big part in my life. That was one of the biggest influences of why I stayed in state to go to school,” Harrington said. “I wanted to be at home with all of them to share this moment. All the reports that said I thought I was slipping in the draft so I didn't want to show up, that had nothing to do with it.”
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Harrington surprised by Detroit
