James Harrison ought to have his head examined.

No, we’re not saying the Steelers linebacker is unbalanced. (What's that, snickering in the background by Ravens fans?) We’re talking about somebody who has had a dozen concussions and apparently played through all of them. Harrison told the Pittsburgh media about his many concussions throughout his NFL career, at the same time telling them about steps he’s taking to protect his noggin.

Harrison has been wearing a helmet that contains padding made of Kevlar — yes, the material used in body armor — since last season. Some other players are using the same kind of helmet, not deterred by the fact that it’s a bit heavier, three or four ounces.

"To protect my head, I'd take a pound more," Harrison said, as reported by The Associated Press.

And Harrison said the league should be paying more attention to something like improving helmet safety.

"The league is mandating next year that we wear thigh and knee pads," Harrison said. "I don't know how many people's career has been ended on a thigh or knee bruise. We have guys now that are 30, 31 years old that are having to quit the game because they have severe headaches . ...  I think you should be focusing more on [the helmet] than knee or thigh pads."