The Harrington Family Foundation

Joey Harrington's cousin will be in town to play in the Ryder Cup next week -- but for the wrong side, as far as Joey is concerned.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington will play for the Europeans against the United States.

"I've got to go with my country," Joey Harrington told the Associated Press. "It's like having a friend on the team you're playing against. If I had a friend on Chicago's team, I'd hope we won, but that my friend played well."

This week, Joey is leading the Lions to Chicago for Sunday's season opener and a chance to break that 24-game road losing streak.

Padraig, meanwhile, shot a six-under-par 66 Thursday for the first-round lead in the German Masters.

It's not likely their paths will cross much next week, either.

"I talked to him and his wife last week just to touch base before they came over," Joey said. "Padraig said he'll be pretty busy, but I'll definitely have his family over. ...

"I offered him tickets to our game, but he's got something better to do."

That would be Sept. 19, the Lions' home opener against the Houston Texans at Ford Field and the final day of the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills.

Joey Harrington said he has watched his cousin compete only twice in person, both times at the Masters.

"I've tried to get him to play Pebble Beach so we could play in the Pro-Am together," he said. "But I guess a lot of guys over there don't like to fly to the other side of the world to play bumpy greens."