National Football League

Harrison having appeal hearing with Cottrell

Published Dec. 14, 2011 5:50 p.m. ET

foxsports

Steelers linebacker James Harrison is having his appeal hearing on his one-game suspension.

The hearing, via video conference call Wednesday, is being conducted by Ted Cottrell, who was hired by the league and the NFL Players Association to oversee such appeals. No decision is expected until Thursday at the earliest.

Harrison was suspended Tuesday for Pittsburgh's game next Monday night at San Francisco because of his helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy, who suffered a concussion. That hit came in Pittsburgh's 14-3 win on Dec. 8.

The NFL cited Harrison's history of flagrant hits - this was his fifth on a quarterback - in making him the first player suspended under stricter guidelines for player safety that were invoked midway through last season.