Sympathy for Joey Harrington

Quarterback Joey Harrington signed yesterday with the New Orleans Saints to back up Drew Brees and Mark Brunell. I should have said "purportedly" there because I don't think the Saints brought in Harrington strictly as a third team quarterback. Backup quarterback Mark Brunell's been on his last legs as an NFL player for three or four years now. I bet the Saints signed Harrington in the hope that he would be an upgrade.

Joey Harrington has been a media punching bag ever since he was drafted third in 2003. But Harrington never deserved the abuse. The team that originally drafted Harrington, the Detroit Lions, is the single worst organization in professional sports. Harrington has also played for Miami and Atlanta in terrible situations that were getting worse while he was there.

But as bad as things were in all three of these jobs, Harrington didn't complain, didn't whine, and didn't make himself into yet another problem for dysfunctional organizations.

I give Joey Harrington a lot of credit for that. I'm sure I wouldn't have done nearly that well myself.

Obviously, Joey Harrington is not a Tom Brady/Peyton Manning talent. But who knows. He might turn out to be a Matt Hasselback type who can be a plus for a good team.

Here's hoping that he gets the chance.