Super Bowl a habit for CR's Duron Harmon, known as Patriots' 'closer'

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Duron Harmon knows he has been living a charmed life in the NFL.

The Magnolia native and Caesar Rodney High School graduate is in his fifth NFL season, and each time he and his New England Patriots teammates have reached at least the AFC Championship game.

Harmon, the Patriots' safety, already has two Super Bowl rings. He will play for his third Super Bowl championship on Sunday, when the Patriots take on the Eagles in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis.

Harmon doesn't take any of this for granted.

"It puts everything in perspective coming from Delaware, a small state," Harmon said. "Not a lot of guys from there make it to the NFL, so when you’re put in positions like this, it just lets me really understand how blessed I am."

But this experience is different. Harmon is playing against the hometown team for most of Delaware. In fact, many of Harmon's friends growing up are Eagles' fans, and he has heard from them often over the last several weeks as the Eagles have made their improbable Super Bowl run.  

"They always tell me best of luck, and they'll say, 'I hope you play well and have a great game, but you're going to lose,'" Harmon said with a laugh.

"I wouldn't expect anything else. That area is so loyal to the Philadelphia Eagles, and they have a big fan base in Delaware. They'll root for their team instead of a friend or even a family member."

Harmon has shared each of his Super Bowl experiences by flying out his immediate family – his parents, Derik and Dawn; his wife, Christine, his two children, ages 6 and 2; and his grandparents and in-laws.

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And it's just as special to them now as it was when it first happened during Harmon's second season in 2014, when the Patriots hung on to beat the Seattle Seahawks. 

"I try to bring the same people because those are the ones who sacrificed for me to get to where I’m at," Harmon said. "It’s a little token of love for me to bring them here and celebrate this with. They love it. They never expect it. Every time I tell them that they’re coming, they’re filled with joy and tell me how much they appreciate it. It makes it all worthwhile."

So do the Super Bowl rings. As Harmon's career has evolved from Caesar Rodney star to Rutgers to the Patriots' third-round draft pick in 2013, so has his role on the team and his influence. The Patriots named him one of their captains this season.

The Patriots start three safeties in Harmon, Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung. Harmon is on the field for 66 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps. Harmon, who led the Patriots with four interceptions this season, is quickly becoming known as "The Closer" for his penchant for game-sealing interceptions in the fourth quarter. 

That began when he intercepted former University of Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco in the end zone with 1:46 left to seal New England's 35-31 win over the Ravens on Jan. 10, 2015 in an AFC Divisional Round playoff game.

He intercepted Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone in the final seconds of a Dec. 17 game, with the Patriots leading 27-24. The Patriots clinched the home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with the victory.

In all, Harmon has 13 interceptions in his career. Ten of them have come in the fourth quarter, and six of those came in the final two minutes of the game.

In fact, it would be a bad omen for the Eagles if Harmon were to intercept a pass from Nick Foles on Sunday. The Patriots have never lost a game in which Harmon has an interception.

"Duron is around the ball,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters who cover the Patriots after that game. “He reads the quarterback and the ball well."

The Patriots showed how much they value Harmon last spring by signing him to a four-year contract worth $17 million. Belichick is known for his win-at-all-costs approach, which notoriously once consisted of releasing a player on Christmas Eve.

But Belichick has also shown loyalty to players he respects and admires. Harmon is one of those players. 

"He’s probably grown a little each year," Belichick said. "Duron’s a very smart player, prepares well, has great communication skills in the secondary with the linebackers, the adjustments the signal callers have to make in our defense based on formation. He brings a lot of positives to the table. He’s a very good worker. And off the field, a very inspirational guy in the weight room, meetings, things like that.

"He gets guys going. He’s got a good energy."

Eagles defensive end Chris Long has seen that, too. Long played for the Patriots last season and said he got to know Harmon well.

"He’s an awesome player," Long said. "I think he’s been under the radar nationally. He’s really come into his own. I think he’s become one of their best players on defense. He has made big plays for them. He’s a hard worker.

"A lot of people may not see that, but he’s a leader as well. You can tell he stepped into a leadership role for them, and that’s big when you’re able to become a leader for that team."

The Patriots are relying on that to continue for Harmon, who credits former and longtime CR football coach Mike Schonewolf for instilling that in him at a young age.

And that has enabled Harmon to appreciate what he has accomplished over five NFL seasons that have never ended before the third week of January.

"I tell you, it never gets old," Harmon said. "It’s a humbling feeling because there are people who play in this league for 13-plus years who never get close to being in the Super Bowl, let alone making the playoffs.

"At the same time, it’s something we work hard for. We put in a lot of work year in and year out. Each year is its own year. We try to just separate the years, wash out what happened the year before and focus on the task at hand, and that’s getting better and trying to be where we are today."

As usual, that means playing into the first weekend of February.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.