It now appears a blessing in disguise that Detroit Lions running back Jerome Harrison was offered in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles that was ultimately voided Wednesday because Harrison didn’t pass the physical.
 
Two league sources told ESPN.com that the Eagles discovered Harrison had a life-threatening brain tumor that neither he nor the Lions were aware of. Had there been no trade, there would have been no physical exam. And without the physical that detected the tumor, Harrison could have died without ever knowing it was problem.
 
The tumor is now being treated, the two sources said.
 
Harrison obviously is not expected to play the rest of this season, but his prognosis for life and resuming his football career are good, the sources said.
 
Harrison was involved in a trade that would have sent running back Ronnie Brown to Detroit to replace Jahvid Best, who could be sidelined by a string of concussions. Harrison arrived at the Philadelphia Eagles facility Wednesday but never made it to the practice field.
 
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