James Harrison Says He Wants to Play a Season at '40, Maybe 41'

New England Patriots linebacker James Harrison is 39 years old, but he doesn't plan on calling it quits after the 2017 season.

"I maybe want to play a year at 40, maybe 41," he told Mike Reiss of ESPN.com.

He acknowledged he couldn't play forever, though:

"But at some point in time, I'm going to have to stop [playing]. I told my son [James III] he could play contact football when I stop, so I'm going to have to give it up in the near future, so he can start getting adjusted to playing. I don't want him to wait too long.

"He's already 10, and then he'll be playing against kids who have been doing it for four or five years, contact football, and they'll know how to take a hit and give a hit. To have a kid come into high school, or even be 14, 15 years old and have been playing since they were 10, that puts him at a disadvantage, especially just safety-wise."

Harrison has appeared in three total games between the regular season and postseason since signing with the team in late December, accumulating 11 tackles and two sacks.

In 15 NFL seasons between the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Patriots, Harrison has compiled 793 tackles, 84.5 sacks and 34 forced fumbles. He was one of the dominant rushers in the game between 2007-11, averaging 10.8 sacks per season in that span. 

He was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 (16 sacks), and he's a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion. 

While Harrison's impact has waned in recent years—he hasn't posted six or more sacks since 2012—he remains an experienced, situational pass-rusher who has contributed in New England after receiving less playing time in Pittsburgh.

"I'm doing whatever they ask me to do," Harrison said, per the Associated Press' Kyle Hightower. "I'm getting more snaps than I had (in Pittsburgh), and I like that."

And clearly, he isn't finished with his career just yet.

"Anything people say I can't do, I want to prove them wrong," he added.