Napoleon Harris

{{Short description|American football player and politician (born 1979)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Napoleon Harris

|image = Napoleon Harris.JPG

|caption = Harris with the Kansas City Chiefs, 2008

|office = Supervisor of Thornton Township

|term_start = May 19, 2025

|term_end =

|predecessor = Tiffany Henyard

|successor =

|state_senate1 = Illinois

|district1 = 15th

|term_start1 = January 9, 2013

|term_end1 =

|predecessor1 = James T. Meeks

|successor1 =

|birth_name = Napoleon Bill Harris III

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|2|25}}

|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|education = Northwestern University (BA)

| module = {{Infobox NFL biography

| embed = yes

| number = 58, 50, 99

| position = Linebacker

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 250

| high_school = Thornton Township (IL)

| college = Northwestern

| draftyear = 2002

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 23

| pastteams = * Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2002}}–{{NFL Year|2004}})

Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|2005}}–{{NFL Year|2006}})
Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2007|2008}})
Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|2008}})
Oakland Raiders ({{NFL Year|2009}})*

| highlights = * PFWA All-Rookie Team (2002)

2× Second-team All-Big Ten (2000, 2001)

| statlabel1 = Total tackles

| statvalue1 = 484

| statlabel2 = Sacks

| statvalue2 = 8.5

| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles

| statvalue3 = 4

| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue4 = 1

| statlabel5 = Interceptions

| statvalue5 = 4

| statlabel6 = Defensive touchdowns

| statvalue6 = 1}}

}}

Napoleon Bill Harris III{{Cite web|url=http://ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=100&MemberID=2410|title=Illinois General Assembly – Senator Biography|website=ilga.gov|access-date=May 30, 2018}} (born February 25, 1979) is an American politician and former professional football player who has been a member of the Illinois Senate representing the 15th district since 2013. The 15th district stretches from Blue Island in the north, Calumet City in the east, Homewood in the west, Steger in the south, and includes all or parts of Crete-Monee, Dolton, Flossmoor, Glenwood, Thornton, Dixmoor, Markham, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Harvey, Riverdale, and South Holland.{{cite web|url=http://www.precinctmaps.com/maps/GA/Senate2011/senate15.pdf |author= Veeneman, Drew |title= Map of 15th District |publisher=precinctmaps.com |access-date=December 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103171001/http://www.precinctmaps.com/maps/GA/Senate2011/senate15.pdf |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |url-status=dead}}

Prior to his service in the Illinois Senate, he played as a linebacker for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Oakland Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings, and Kansas City Chiefs at various times.

Early life

Harris grew up in Dixmoor, Illinois.{{cite news|last=Myslenski|first=Skip|title=Harris starts after all; Walker eager to put newfound depth to use|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=September 8, 2001|pages=3 and 7|id={{ProQuest| }}|quote=So had Harris, who grew up in Dixmoor and played for Thornton.}} He attended Lincoln Elementary School, Rosa L. Parks Middle School, and Thornton Township High School. He was a tri-star athlete and honor student. His father died his junior year of high school.

Harris was an honors student at Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois and lettered in football and basketball. In football, he posted 23 sacks, 98 tackles, two fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, two safeties, and one interception and was named the Defensive Player of the Year by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Star Publications, Daily Southtown, and the Hammond Times. Napoleon also averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds on the No. 1 basketball team in the country.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}

Harris enrolled at Northwestern University, where he played college football for the Northwestern Wildcats. For one year, he was a two sport athlete playing basketball. His complete college career ranked 11th on Northwestern's all-time tackles list with 334. All-Big Ten Conference as a senior after starting all 11 games at defensive end after moving from outside linebacker and ranked fourth on team in tackles with 78.{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}

NFL career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 3

| weight = 253

| dash = 4.55

| ten split = 1.60

| twenty split = 2.64

| shuttle = 4.44

| cone drill = 7.15

| vertical = 34

| broad ft = 9

| broad in = 7

| bench = 27

| wonderlic =

| arm span = 32

| hand span = 10

| note = All measurables were taken at the NFL Scouting Combine;{{cite web | url=http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=59889&draftyear=2002&genpos=OLB | title=NFL Draft News }} see also [https://web.archive.org/web/20021015015951/http://www.nfl.com/draft/2002/profiles/harris_napoleon.htm scouting report]

}}

Harris was selected in the first round of the 2002 draft by the Oakland Raiders, the 23rd overall pick.{{Cite web |title=2002 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2002/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} That year, he started 13 of 16 regular-season games, all three playoff games, and Super Bowl XXXVII for the Oakland Raiders and was named to the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie team.

In 2005, Harris was acquired by the Minnesota Vikings as part of blockbuster trade which sent Randy Moss to Oakland for the seventh overall pick and a seventh-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft. The Vikings used the picks to select wide receiver Troy Williamson and cornerback Adrian Ward. Despite being traded for one of the premier players in the National Football League, Harris did not immediately live up to his potential the following season with the Minnesota Vikings. In that first season with the Vikings, he was hampered with a lingering knee injury and saw limited playing time. However, in the second season he finished second on the team with 96 tackles, 3 interceptions, 3.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries in 14 games.

On March 6, 2007, Harris agreed to a six-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.Teicher, Adam. [http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/16845167.htm Chiefs agree to terms with free-agent LB Harris] The Kansas City Star, March 6, 2007.[http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2007/03/06/chiefs_agree_to_terms_with_ufa_lb_napoleon_harris/ Chiefs agree to terms with UFA LB Napoleon Harris] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309134542/http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2007/03/06/chiefs_agree_to_terms_with_ufa_lb_napoleon_harris/ |date=March 9, 2007 }} KCChiefs.com, March 6, 2007. The Chiefs released Harris on October 14, 2008. Just two days after his release from the Chiefs, Harris re-joined the Minnesota Vikings on October 16. Harris started in 5 of the 10 games he played and finished his second stint with the Vikings with 32 tackles and 1 sack, and also scored his first NFL touchdown after returning a fumble 27 yards in week 12 in Jacksonville. Despite a fairly good performance, the Vikings did not hold on to him.

In May 2008, Napoleon appeared on The CW Network series The Game.{{cite news |url= https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229288/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1 |title=The Game: Season 2, Episode 19. I Got 99 Problems and My Chick Is One (11 May 2008) |publisher=IMDb |access-date=July 27, 2015}} Harris signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders on August 24, 2009, after the team released cornerback Ricky Manning, but was released five days later.[https://twitter.com/Jerrymcd/status/3629741737 Jerry McDonald post], Twitter, August 29, 2009

=NFL statistics=

Years	Team	GP	COMB	TOTAL	AST	SACK	FF	FR	FR YDS	INT	IR YDS	AVG IR	LNG IR	TD	PD
class="wikitable"
2002	OAK	15	81	59	22	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
2003	OAK	16	107	74	33	2.0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
2004	OAK	14	61	47	14	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2005	MIN	15	25	18	7	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
2006	MIN	14	59	42	17	2.5	1	0	0	3	20	7	11	0	4
2007	KC	16	116	82	34	1.5	1	0	0	1	4	4	4	0	3
2008	MIN	10	32	24	8	1.0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career		100	481	346	135	8.5	5	1	0	4	24	6	11	0	15

Source: ESPN.{{cite web|title=Napoleon Harris Stats|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/3551/napoleon-harris|publisher=ESPN|access-date=December 23, 2014}} Abbreviations key:

GP: games played
COMB: combined tackles
TOTAL: total tackles
AST: assisted tackles
SACK: sacks

FF: forced fumbles
FR: fumble recoveries
FR YDS: fumble return yards
INT: interceptions
IR YDS: interception return yards

AVG IR: average interception return
LNG: longest interception return
TD: interceptions returned for touchdown
PD: passes defensed

Personal life

Harris is married with two children. After leaving the NFL, Harris, his wife, and sons where he became the owner of two Beggars Pizza locations.{{cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/9997400-419/napoleon-harris-seeks-illinois-senate-seat-to-put-dixmoor-back-in-the-game.html |author=Jensen, Sean|title=Napoleon Harris Seeks Illinois Senate Seat to put Dixmoor Back in the Game|work=Daily Herald|access-date=May 22, 2013}}

Illinois Senate

In 2011, after Illinois State Senator James Meeks announced his retirement, Harris chose to run to succeed him in the 15th district on a platform of creating economic growth for the district. He won the 2012 primary with a plurality of the vote against two opponents,{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.il.gov/electioninformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=32&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=5639&QueryType=Office&|title= General Primary – 3/20/2012 15th Senate |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=May 22, 2013}} and ran in the general election unopposed.{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.il.gov/electioninformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GE&ElectionID=33&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=6043&QueryType=Office&|title=General Election – 11/6/2012 15th Senate |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=May 22, 2013}}

As of July 2022, Senator Harris is a member of the following Illinois Senate committees:{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly – Senator Committees |url=https://ilga.gov/senate/SenCommittees.asp?MemberID=2851 |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=ilga.gov}}

(chairman of) Appropriations – Personnel and Procurement Committee (SAPP-SAPP)
Appropriations – Revenue and Finance Committee (SAPP-SARF)
Appropriations – Government Infrastructure Committee (SAPP-SAGI)
Appropriations Committee (SAPP)
Commerce Committee (SCOM)
(Co-chairman of) Critical Energy Infrastructure and Grid Reliability (SENE-ECEI)
Energy and Public Utilities Committee (SENE)
Executive Committee (SEXC)
Executive – Cannabis Committee (SEXC-SEOC)
(chairman of) Executive – Tobacco Committee (SEXC-STOB)
Health Committee (SHEA)
(chairman of) Insurance Committee (SINS)
Pensions Committee (SPEN)
(chairman of) Redistricting – South Cook County (SRED)
Subcommittee on Public Health (SHEA-SHPH)

Thornton Township politics

After the death of longtime Thornton Township Democratic committeeman Frank Zuccarelli, Harris defeated State Representative Thaddeus Jones for the position.{{cite news|last=Slowick|first=Ted|title=Sen. Napoleon Harris unifies rivals in new role for Thornton Township Democrats|date=August 19, 2022|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/opinion/ct-sta-slowik-thornton-democrats-harris-st-0821-20220819-l4ppsvrbybgi7kqkggvu2gupfa-story.html|url-access=limited|access-date=August 22, 2022}} Harris is the Democratic nominee for Thornton Township Supervisor (township executive) in the 2025 election, having been nominated in a township Democratic nominating caucus on December 3, 2024, defeating the scandal-plagued incumbent supervisor Tiffany Henyard for the nomination.{{cite news|last1=Barnes|first1=Jenna|last2=Ong|first2=Eli|last3=Runge|first3=Erik|title='They can't beat me': In rare caucus, Tiffany Henyard loses Thornton Township nomination|date=December 3, 2024|newspaper=WGN-TV|access-date=December 4, 2024|url=https://wgntv.com/news/south-suburbs/they-cant-beat-me-tiffany-henyard-loses-thornton-township-nomination-to-napoleon-harris/}} Harris won the four-way race for township supervisor in the consolidated election on April 1, 2025, with 74% of the vote cast.{{cite news|last=Sharwarko|first=Carole|title=Lansing First Party sweeps; Napoleon Harris ticket wins in Thornton Township|date=April 1, 2025|newspaper=The Lansing Journal|access-date=April 9, 2025|url=https://thelansingjournal.com/2025/04/01/lansing-first-party-sweeps-napoleon-harris-ticket-wins-in-thornton-township/}} He was sworn in on May 19, 2025.{{cite news |last1=Stevens |first1=Olivia |title=Napoleon Harris sworn in as Thornton Township supervisor, replaces Tiffany Henyard |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/05/19/napoleon-harris-thornton-supervisor-tiffany-henyard/ |access-date=May 19, 2025 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=May 19, 2025}}

Electoral history

While a member of the Illinois Senate, Harris has run for higher office on two occasions. In 2013, Harris ran for the congressional seat vacated by Jesse Jackson Jr.,{{cite news|title=Former NFL linebacker to run for Jackson Jr.'s seat|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/135489-former-nfl-linebacker-to-run-for-jackson-jr-s-seat/|newspaper=The Hill|access-date=November 27, 2012}} but dropped out after two months, endorsing Robin Kelly.{{cite news |title=Harris drops out of race for Jackson Jr. seat |first=Rick |last=Pearson |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-2nd-district-napoleon-harris-20130131,0,6000675.story |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=January 29, 2013}} In 2015, he announced his candidacy in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://capitolfax.com/2015/11/17/question-of-the-day-2156/|title=Question of the Day|publisher=Capitol Fax|author=Miller, Rich|access-date=November 18, 2015|date=November 17, 2015}} He would come in third place, losing to Tammy Duckworth, who would go on to win the general election.

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 15th State Senate District Democratic Primary, 2012{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=VoVgEBy9RuQ%3d&OfficeType=chAdDTGMeUbnvUBCe6YOyA%3d%3d&T=637387675102542134|title=Election Results 2012 General Primary |access-date=2020-10-20|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Napoleon Harris

| votes = 10172

| percentage = 43.64

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Donna Miller

| votes = 8209

| percentage = 35.22

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Patricia "Pat" Mahon

| votes = 4928

| percentage = 21.14

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 23309

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 15th State Senate General Election, 2012{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=VoVgEBy9RuQ%3d&OfficeType=chAdDTGMeUbnvUBCe6YOyA%3d%3d&T=637387675102542134|title=Election Results 2012 General Election |access-date=2020-10-20|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Napoleon Harris

| votes = 73762

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 73762

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 15th State Senate General Election, 2014{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=VoVgEBy9RuQ%3d&OfficeType=chAdDTGMeUbnvUBCe6YOyA%3d%3d&T=637387675102542134|title=Election Results 2014 General Election |access-date=2020-10-20|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Napoleon Harris (incumbent)

| votes = 49577

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 49577

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois U.S. Senator (Class III) Democratic Primary, 2016{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=GoUnr%2b0cUsk%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|title=Election Results 2016 General Primary|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections|access-date=November 6, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308025725/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=GoUnr%2b0cUsk%3d&OfficeType=%2brBqro%2b%2bHTUkQvv7Q1tDdQ%3d%3d|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Tammy Duckworth

| votes = 1220128

| percentage = 64.38

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Andrea Zopp

| votes = 455729

| percentage = 24.05

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Napoleon Harris

| votes = 219286

| percentage = 11.57

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 1895143

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 15th State Senate General Election, 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=JVM3BFfJbYc%3d&OfficeType=chAdDTGMeUbnvUBCe6YOyA%3d%3d&T=637387677908282252|title=Election Results 2018 General Election |access-date=2020-10-20|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Napoleon B. Harris III (incumbent)

| votes = 59332

| percentage = 100

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 59332

| percentage = 100

}}

References

External links

;Illinois Senate

[http://my.ilga.gov/Member/Index/2027?tab=1&chamber=S Biography, bills and committees] at the 98th Illinois General Assembly
By session: [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?GA=98&MemberID=2027 98th]
[http://www.senatornapoleonharris.com/ Illinois State Senator Napoleon B. Harris III] legislative website
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130216162451/http://www.senatedem.ilga.gov/index.php/sen-harris-home Senator Napoleon Harris] at Illinois Senate Democrats
{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=134977 | fec= | congress= }}

;Football

[http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/harris_napoleon00.html Northwestern Wildcats bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304153103/http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/harris_napoleon00.html |date=March 4, 2008 }}
[http://www.raiders.com/Team/PlayerBio.aspx?id=67670 Oakland Raiders bio] {{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Category:1979 births

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly

Category:African-American state legislators in Illinois

Category:American athlete-politicians

Category:American football defensive ends

Category:American football linebackers

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Baptists from Illinois

Category:Basketball players from Chicago

Category:Democratic Party Illinois state senators

Category:Kansas City Chiefs players