Rodney Harrison is going into the Chargers Hall of Fame, which means he's reached an iconic level in franchise lore.

But while Harrison is the 36th player honored (and 44th overall member), he is the first safety to make the exclusive club.

"What it comes down to is respect," Harrison said. "They don't vote you into this caliber of a place unless they respect you and unless they respect your hard work.

"It's not about name or about money, you can't buy your way into this," Harrison continued. "People have to respect your game and your work ethic and your reputation. And I appreciate it. I really do."

He later added: "Not that I was waiting on this, but it was just a really pleasant surprise knowing that I gave everything to that organization and that I was heavily involved in the community. I loved that place. I loved my experiences there and my time there. It was terrific."

The Chargers will honor Harrison at halftime of their Week 8 home game against the Vikings on Thursday Night Football. He will also be recognized with a plaque on the Chargers Walk of Fame outside of The Bolt.

Harrison was surprised with the news from Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh on FaceTime this summer.

"I'm looking at Coach Harbaugh [on screen] because he had said he wanted to have a conversation with me about leadership," Harrison said. "So, there was a certain level of deception that was there.

"But when he told me I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me!" Harrison added. "I was just stunned. They got me really good."

Harrison, a 1994 fifth-round draft pick out of Western Illinois, helped the Bolts reach Super Bowl XXIX as a rookie.

He played nine seasons for the Chargers, appearing in 123 career games with 97 starts. He was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Bolts and earned a First-Team All-Pro honor, too.

"I have to thank the Spanos family and [former Chargers General Manager] Bobby Beathard, rest his soul, for believing in me and giving me an opportunity," Harrison said.

Teammates voted him as the Chargers Defensive Player of the Year four times in his career and he was also named to the franchise's 40th and 50th-Anniversary All-Time teams.

"Rodney personified an era of Chargers football defined by physicality, emotion, relentless effort, toughness and grit," said President of Football Operations John Spanos. "For nearly a decade, he gave everything he had to the Chargers, establishing a standard of accountability and setting the bar for competitive greatness.

"The fire that burned inside Rodney was the stuff of legend and, as is the case with all the great ones, it never once faded over the course of his career," Spanos added.

All in all, Harrison tallied 760 total tackles with the Bolts to go along with 26 interceptions, which is third all-time and the most by a safety in team history.

Harrison also added 21.5 sacks (the best mark by a Chargers defensive back), plus eight forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, 22 tackles for loss and 46 passes defensed.

Oh yeah, he also scored three defensive touchdowns, including a pair of pick 6s. And he added a kickoff return for a score, too.

In 1997, Harrison became the first player in league history to score touchdowns on an interception return, fumble return and kickoff return in the same season.

Not bad for a guy who didn't start a single game on defense during his first two seasons in the league.

"The guys in front of me were older and more experienced … but I felt like my time was going to come," Harrison said. "I just kept getting stronger, kept studying the playbook, understanding what you have to do just in case there's an injury.

"And then take advantage of all your special teams opportunities. I led the team in special teams tackles as a rookie," Harrison added. "Every game there are tons of opportunities to make plays on special teams. And that's what I did."

And even though Harrison didn't make any starts in 1995, he made a notable impact with a team-high five interceptions.

"The second year, they started playing me a little but more on defense," Harrison said. "I ended up having five interceptions as a safety that came in on third downs at the deep safety position. It was just a gradual growth."

Harrison's breakout season came in 1998 when he earned First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

He finished with 114 total tackles (one behind Junior Seau for the team lead) and added three interceptions, 4.0 sacks and a forced fumble. Harrison earned an Approximate Value metric of 14 on ProFootballReference.com, which measures a player's overall value. It was the highest mark of his career.

"They just let me play," Harrison said with a laugh. "I didn't like coaches putting restrictions on me.

"My whole life, that's what people tried to do and tried to hold me back," Harrison continued.

"They tried to tell me I was too small and that I wasn't good enough," Harrison added. "And I said, 'OK, I'm going to show you.' That's what pushed me and really brought out that dog in me, it was people doubting me."

Harrison now joins a legendary group that features some of the biggest names in team history.

The 52-year-old said this summer it's surreal to join a club that features former teammates such as Seau and LaDainian Tomlinson.

"When I came in, Junior was the standard I always tried to reach. Junior was my mentor, he was my hero. I tried to emulate Junior Seau," Harrison said.

"And when LT came in, I thought LT was the most humble first-round draft choice that I've ever met," Harrison continued. "The kid worked his [butt] off and he was just so soft spoken but just a great, great player and a tremendous person.

"To join my guys, man, I couldn't be happier," Harrison added.

Harrison also recognizes that this honor is about more than him, too, as he credited those close to him for their unwavering support throughout his career.

"I reflect and I am very grateful for all the people — my wife, my mom, my brother, my family — for supporting me," Harrison said. "And I'm extremely proud of myself for all the hard work I put in and the sacrifices that I made."

Harrison said he can't wait for the celebration at SoFi Stadium.

"It's going to be a very special moment and very emotional for me. It's just remembering all the great memories and the good times," Harrison said.

"It means a lot," Harrison added.