PITTSBURGH -- In what has become a ritual for a handful of Pittsburgh Steelers who train in Arizona during the summer, James Harrison's crew is taking to the sand courts for some medicine ball volleyball.
And it's no surprise that Harrison had impressive moves in a two-on-two matchup that included teammates Vince Williams and Robert Golden and veteran free-agent linebacker Sean Weatherspoon.
At one point during the game, which Harrison and Williams apparently won 7-0, Harrison jumped and double-clutched before tossing what looks like at least a 20-pound ball over the net.
The game is informally called "Danney Ball," after Harrison's head trainer, Ian Danney of Performance Enhancement Professionals in the Phoenix area -- which has an average high of 104 degrees in June, by the way. These workouts are legitimately tough and ill-advised for the average NFL fan.
Harrison spends his offseasons in Arizona and likes to host teammates for training sessions. Safety Mike Mitchell spent a few months with Harrison before organized team activities and said he gained about 10-12 pounds of muscle during that stretch. Williams looked noticeably more agile in team workouts after training with Harrison.
Harrison, 39, will be with the Steelers as the starting outside linebacker as the team takes the field for training camp on July 28.