Damon Harrison
{{Short description|American football player (born 1988)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Damon Harrison
| image = Damon Harrison 2016.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Harrison with the New York Giants in 2016
| number = 71, 94, 98, 78, 59
| position = Defensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|11|29}}
| birth_place = New Iberia, Louisiana, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 350
| high_school = Lake Charles-Boston
(Lake Charles, Louisiana)
| college = {{ubl|Northwest Mississippi CC (2007)|William Penn (2008–2011)}}
| undraftedyear = 2012
| pastteams =
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2012}}–{{NFL Year|2015}})
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2016}}–{{NFL Year|2018}})
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2018}}–{{NFL Year|2019}})
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2020}})
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2020}})
| highlights =
- First-team All-Pro (2016)
- NAIA All-American (2011)
- First-team All-MSFA (2011)
- Second-team All-MSFA (2009, 2010)
| statweek =
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 494
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 11.0
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 5
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 1
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 10
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 1
| pfr = HarrDa03
}}
Damon Paul Harrison (born November 29, 1988) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at William Penn University and was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He was also a member of the New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. According to Pro Football Focus, he led the league in run-stop percentage between 2013 and 2016.{{cite news |title=What makes Damon Harrison the league's best run-stuffer |date=January 26, 2017 |work=Pro Football Focus |url=https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-what-makes-damon-harrison-the-leagues-best-run-stuffer }}
Early life
Harrison was born in New Iberia, Louisiana on November 29, 1988. He attended Lake Charles Boston High School, where he primarily played shooting guard on the school's basketball varsity team. On November 29, 2005, during his junior season, he injured the meniscus in his left knee, and gained "like 40 or 50 pounds" over the next two months.{{cite news |url=http://gnb.scout.com/2/1179357.html |title=Nose Tackle Won't Take 'No' for an Answer |work=Scout.com: Packer Report |date=April 20, 2012 |first=Bill |last=Huber |access-date=October 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206200814/http://gnb.scout.com/2/1179357.html |archive-date=February 6, 2015 |url-status=dead }} He decided to take on football for his senior year, playing both offensive and defensive line, and was an all-district and all-Southwest Louisiana selection in 2006.{{cite web|title=William Penn Profile |work=statesmenathletics.com |url=http://www.statesmenathletics.com/roster/15/2/6039.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928232210/http://www.statesmenathletics.com/roster/15/2/6039.php |archive-date=September 28, 2013 }} He was also named as the team captain and was selected as Lake Charles Boston's Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP along with being selected as the Lake Charles Boston's Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Since much of recruiting takes place during a high school player's junior season, Harrison was overlooked by college scouts and wound up without any scholarship offer after his graduation. He enrolled at Northwest Mississippi Community College, but dropped out after the first semester to work as a night stocker at Walmart in Lake Charles. However, he was later recruited to William Penn University, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, by former NMCC assistant coach Steve Miller.{{cite news |url=http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/09/jets_nose_tackle_damon_harrison_took_circuitous_path_to_possible_starting_role_in_nfl.html |title=Jets nose tackle Damon Harrison took circuitous path to possible starting role in NFL |work=The Star-Ledger |date=September 3, 2013 |first=Darryl |last=Slater }}{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/columns/nfl/story/_/id/9717854/new-york-jets-damon|title=Jets' 'Big Snacks' making big impact}}
College career
In his first year at William Penn, Harrison finished fifth on the team in tackles. As a sophomore and junior, he was voted second-team all-conference. During his senior season, he was recognized as NAIA All-American and first-team all-conference after posting 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for losses among his team-high 60 tackles. Throughout his college career, he started all 44 games he played at William Penn.{{cite news |title=Humble beginnings motivate DT Damon Harrison |date=March 11, 2016 |first=Michael |last=Eisen |work=Giants.com |url=http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Humble-beginnings-motivate-DT-Damon-Harrison/a1ad2f87-6e30-49f2-a64f-cfaf2d384b96 |access-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103133853/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Humble-beginnings-motivate-DT-Damon-Harrison/a1ad2f87-6e30-49f2-a64f-cfaf2d384b96 |archive-date=January 3, 2018 |url-status=dead }}
Professional career
=Pre-draft=
Prior to the draft, Harrison worked out at Iowa State's pro day, and was "considered a late-round prospect in a weak class of nose tackle." The last player to have been selected from William Penn in the NFL Draft was Andy Stokes in 2005, who was taken by the New England Patriots with the final pick, and their last player to appear in an NFL game was Warren Loving in 1987.
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 5/8
| weight = 339
| dash = 5.54
| ten split = 1.91
| twenty split = 3.14
| shuttle = 4.99
| cone drill = 7.80
| vertical = 25
| broad ft = 7
| broad in = 9
| bench = 34
| wonderlic =
| arm span = 33
| hand span = 10
| note = All values from Iowa State pro day (March 20, 2012){{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=108265&DraftYear=2012 |title=2012 Draft Scout Damon Harrison, William Penn NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=April 2, 2017}}{{Cite web |url=https://ras.football/2019/12/27/damon-harrison-ras/ |title=Damon Harrison RAS |website=ras.football |access-date=June 15, 2022}}
}}
After receiving a seventh-round grade by Jeff Bauer, Jets' director of college scouting, Harrison went undrafted in the 2012 NFL draft. Right after the draft, he was called by twelve NFL teams to join their practice camp squads.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanpress.com/Lake-Charles-Harrison-tackles-Big-Apple |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131024003748/http://www.americanpress.com/Lake-Charles-Harrison-tackles-Big-Apple |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 24, 2013 |title=Lake Charles' Harrison tackles Big Apple |work=American Press |date=September 19, 2012 }}
=New York Jets=
Harrison was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2012.{{cite web|title=10 Undrafted FAs, 23 Tryouts Announced |url=http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-1/10-Undrafted-FAs-23-Tryouts-Announced/2455a737-0a01-4732-9e3d-58548173d518 |publisher=New York Jets |author=Jets Media Relations Department |date=April 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503063048/http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-1/10-Undrafted-FAs-23-Tryouts-Announced/2455a737-0a01-4732-9e3d-58548173d518 |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |access-date=June 4, 2012 |url-status=dead }} He appeared in 5 games in 2012 but did not record a single stat that year. Following the departure of Sione Pouha and a preseason injury to Kenrick Ellis, Harrison was named the starting defensive tackle for the 2013 season.{{cite news |title=New York Jets' Damon Harrison, from water boy to starting nose tackle |publisher=ESPN |date=September 24, 2013 |first=Rich |last=Cimini |url=http://www.espn.com/new-york/columns/nfl/story/_/id/9717854/new-york-jets-damon-harrison-water-boy-starting-nose-tackle }} On October 20, 2013, Harrison recorded his first career sack when he brought down New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. During the 2013 season, Harrison started all 16 games making 66 tackles, 2 passes defended, and 1 sack. In 2014, Harrison again started all 16 games with 55 tackles. In 2015, Harrison again started all 16 games making 72 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
=New York Giants=
Harrison signed with the New York Giants on March 9, 2016, to a 5-year contract worth $9.25 million per year with $24 million guaranteed and $30 million over the first three years.{{cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/damon-harrison-set-to-leave-jets-to-sign-with-giants-0ap3000000642790|title=Damon Harrison set to leave Jets to sign with Giants|publisher=National Football League|access-date=April 2, 2017}} With the Giants, Harrison was selected to be in the first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press on January 6, 2017.{{cite web | title=2016 Associated Press All-Pro Team | work=bleacherreport.com | url=http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2685590-nfl-associated-press-all-pro-teams-2016-complete-list-of-players-and-reaction|access-date=January 6, 2017}} He was also ranked 96th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.[http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-top100-2017/0ap3000000805750/Top-100-Players-of-2017-No-96-Damon-Harrison NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 – No. 96 Damon Harrison]
=Detroit Lions=
On October 24, 2018, Harrison was traded to the Detroit Lions for a conditional 2019 fifth-round draft pick. The condition was that the Lions would give either their own 2019 5th round pick or the 5th round pick that was previously acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in a trade for Laken Tomlinson, depending on which is higher.{{cite web|title=Giants trading Damon 'Snacks' Harrison to Lions|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/giants-trading-damon-snacks-harrison-to-lions-0ap3000000977884|author=Teope, Herbie|publisher=National Football League|date=October 24, 2018}} Because he was traded to the Lions before the Giants bye week and after the Lions bye week, Harrison played in 17 games during the 2018 season, the first defensive lineman to accomplish this feat.
On August 21, 2019, Harrison signed a one-year, $11 million contract extension with the Lions, keeping him under contract through the 2021 season.{{cite web|title=Damon Harrison signs one-year extension with Lions|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/damon-harrison-signs-one-year-extension-with-lions-0ap3000001043225|author=Bergman, Jeremy|publisher=National Football League|date=August 21, 2019}}
On February 21, 2020, Harrison was released by the Lions.{{cite web|title=Detroit Lions release DT Damon 'Snacks' Harrison|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/detroit-lions-release-dt-damon-snacks-harrison-0ap3000001102609|author=Baca, Michael|publisher=National Football League|date=February 20, 2020}}
=Seattle Seahawks=
On October 7, 2020, Harrison was signed to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.{{cite web |last1=Boyle |first1=John |title=Seahawks Make Roster Moves, Including Signing DT Damon Harrison To Practice Squad |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-make-roster-moves-including-signing-dt-damon-harrison-to-practice-squad |website=Seahawks.com |access-date=October 7, 2020 |date=October 7, 2020}} He was elevated to the active roster on November 14 and 19 for the team's weeks 10 and 11 games against the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals, and reverted to the practice squad after each game.{{cite news |author=Rauschenberg, Nathan |title=Time For "Snacks," Carson & Hyde Ruled Out And Other Roster Moves For Sunday vs. Rams |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/time-for-snacks-carson-hyde-ruled-out-and-other-roster-moves-for-sunday-vs-rams |website=Seahawks.com |date=November 14, 2020 |access-date=December 23, 2020}}{{cite news |author=Duncan, Jordan |title=Seahawks Place CB Quinton Dunbar On Injured Reserve, Activate DT Damon Harrison And RB Bo Scarbrough From Practice Squad |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-place-cb-quinton-dunbar-on-injured-reserve-activate-dt-damon-harrison-a |website=Seahawks.com |date=November 19, 2020 |access-date=December 26, 2020}} He was promoted to the active roster on November 23.{{cite news |author=Reardon, Logan |title=Seahawks Sign DT Damon Harrison To Active Roster, Place TE Greg Olsen On Injured Reserve |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-sign-dt-damon-harrison-to-active-roster-place-te-greg-olsen-on-injured- |website=Seahawks.com |date=November 23, 2020 |access-date=December 26, 2020}} After being a healthy scratch in week 16 against the Los Angeles Rams, Harrison requested to be released and the team waived him on December 28, 2020.{{cite web|title=Seahawks Waive DT Damon Harrison|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-waive-dt-damon-harrison|author=Boyle, John|website=Seahawks.com|date=December 28, 2020}}
=Green Bay Packers=
On December 30, 2020, Harrison was claimed off waivers by the Green Bay Packers.{{cite news |author=Alper, Josh |title=Damon Harrison claimed by Packers |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/12/30/damon-harrison-claimed-by-packers/ |website=NBCSports.com |date=December 30, 2020 |access-date=February 11, 2021}}
=Retirement=
On November 13, 2021, Harrison announced his retirement from the NFL after nine seasons.{{cite web|title=Former All-Pro defensive tackle Damon "Snacks" Harrison announces retirement|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/11/16/former-all-pro-defensive-tackle-damon-snacks-harrison-announces-retirement/|author=Crabtree, Curtis|work=Pro Football Talk|publisher=NBC Sports|date=November 30, 2021}}
NFL career statistics
=Regular season=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||
| Season | Team | GP | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | NYJ
| 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| 2013 | NYJ
| 16 || 16 || 66 || 36 || 30 || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 2 | |||||||||
| 2014 | NYJ
| 16 || 16 || 55 || 30 || 25 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| 2015 | NYJ
| 16 || 16 || 72 || 39 || 33 || 0.5 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| 2016 | NYG
| 16 || 16 || 86 || 55 || 31 || 2.5 || 1 || 0 || 1 | |||||||||
| 2017 | NYG
| 16 || 16 || 76 || 51 || 25 || 1.5 || 0 || 0 || 3 | |||||||||
| 2018 | NYG
| 7 || 7 || 31 || 15 || 16 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| 2018 | DET
| 10 || 9 || 50 || 37 || 13 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 | |||||||||
| 2019 | DET
| 15 || 15 || 49 || 29 || 20 || 2.0 || 0 || 0 || 3 | |||||||||
| 2020 | SEA
| 6 || 0 || 9 || 3 || 6 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| 2020 | GB
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total || 124 || 111 || 494 || 295 || 199 || 11.0 || 5 || 1 || 10 | ||||||||||
| colspan="16"|Source: [https://www.nfl.com/players/damon-harrison/stats/career NFL.com] |
=Postseason=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||
| Season | Team | GP | GS | Comb | Total | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | NYG
| 1 || 1 || 5 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| 2020 | GB
| 2 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total || 3 || 1 || 6 || 4 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||
| colspan="16"|Source: [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HarrDa03.htm pro-football-reference.com] |
Personal life
Harrison is married to Alexis Harrison. They have seven children.{{cite web |last1=Fisher |first1=Mike |title=EXCLUSIVE: What 'Snacks' Will Say If Needy Cowboys Call |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/.amp/news/exclusive-what-damon-snacks-harrison-will-say-if-needy-dallas-cowboys-call |access-date=December 31, 2020}} He has been a resident of Washington Township, Bergen County, New Jersey.Hubbard, Daniel. [https://patch.com/new-jersey/westwood-hillsdale/ny-giant-damon-snacks-harrison-moves-bergen-county-reports-say "NY Giant Damon 'Snacks' Harrison Moves To $1.5M Bergen County Home; Harrison purchased a five-bedroom, six-bathroom house in Washington Township."], Westwood Patch, January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2018. "New York Giant Damon 'Snacks' Harrison now calls Bergen County home. Harrison has purchased a 7,000-square-foot home in Washington Township for more than $1.5 million, said listing broker Dawn Braithwaite."
He goes by the nickname "Snacks".{{cite web | title=Two-minute drill: Damon Harrison | publisher=ESPN | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/33840/two-minute-drill-damon-harrison?ex_cid=espnapi_public |access-date=December 28, 2013}}{{cite web|last1=Single|first1=Eric|title=Fridge Raider: What does Giants DT Damon 'Snacks' Harrison actually eat?|url=https://www.si.com/edge/2016/12/22/fridge-raider-damon-harrison-snacks-new-york-giants-diet|work=Sports Illustrated|access-date=December 22, 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- [https://www.packers.com/team/players-roster/damon-harrison/ Green Bay Packers bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120523003534/http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/roster/Damon-Harrison/19c33ca4-9bf3-47cc-9117-42f4ad449024 New York Jets bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130928232210/http://www.statesmenathletics.com/roster/15/2/6039.php William Penn bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Damon}}
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:New York Jets players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:Players of American football from New Iberia, Louisiana
Category:People from Washington Township, Bergen County, New Jersey
Category:Seattle Seahawks players
Category:Players of American football from Lake Charles, Louisiana
Category:William Penn Statesmen football players
Category:Players of American football from Bergen County, New Jersey