THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PITTSBURGH -- James Harrison plans to pass on another trip to the White House with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Harrison, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, says he'll skip the Super Bowl champion's visit to the White House to meet U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday, just as he did when the Steelers were honoured by former president George W. Bush in June 2006.

Harrison told Pittsburgh station WTAE-TV he doesn't believe the invitation is all that special, saying if the Steelers hadn't beaten the Cardinals 27-23 with a last-minute rally, Arizona would have been invited.

The Steelers had no comment Monday about Harrison's comments. Steelers chairman Dan Rooney was an early supporter of Obama's and has been nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to Ireland.