Local sports celebrities hit Radio Row

INDIANAPOLIS (WPRI) - A number of New England sports celebrities were spotted on "Radio Row" Thursday, the media mecca of Super Bowl 46.

Among them, former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who joked that players' families can be their worst enemy when preparing for the Super Bowl.

"You have to avoid distractions and sorry to say it but family, you're the biggest distraction in a Super Bowl. Because they're always pulling and grabbing."

Harrison says players are better off shutting off their cell phones until after the game.

"I guarantee you Tom Brady has two cell phones if not three ... but he's cutting off his cell phone. He has a direct link probably to his parents and his sisters and his wife, but that's the smart thing to do because three days before the game, this is a very critical time."

Eyewitness News also caught up with former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, who says he knows from experience not to get caught up in the hype.

"I know what they're trying to get done and focus on so I know the last thing they want to do is hang around and shake hands with people."

As for who Schilling's rooting for on Sunday?

"The Patriots. Absolutely."

Other sports celebrities spotted on Radio Row Thursday included NFL Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood, former NFL coaches Dick Vermeil and Mike Ditka, and former quarterback and current NFL on CBS analyst Boomer Esiason.