Jackie Bernard Harris(born January 4, 1968) is an American former professionalfootballplayer who was atight endin theNational Football League(NFL) for theGreen Bay Packers,Tampa Bay Buccaneers,Tennessee Oilers / TitansandDallas Cowboys.He playedcollege footballat what is now known as theUniversity of Louisiana at Monroe.
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | January 4, 1968 Pine Bluff, Arkansas,U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Pine Bluff (Pine Bluff, Arkansas) | ||||||||
| College: | Northeast Louisiana | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1990/ round: 4 / pick: 102 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Early years
editHarris attendedDollarway High School,where he played football andbasketball,and rantrack.He was a two-way player atwide receiveranddefensive back.As a senior, he helped lead the team to the state finals and earned all-state honors.
Harris accepted a football scholarship from theNortheast Louisiana Indians(now theUniversity of Louisiana at Monroe). As a sophomore, he became a starter attight end,catching passes from futureNFLquarterbackStan Humphries.They were members of the team that won the1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game.[1]As a junior, Harris missed half the season with a knee injury, posting 43 receptions for 512 yards and two touchdowns. He had a school and conference record with 16 receptions againstLamar University.As a senior, he collected 54 receptions for 661 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished as the school's all-time leading receiver with 147 receptions for 2,107 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Professional career
editGreen Bay Packers
editHarris was selected by theGreen Bay Packersin the fourth round (102nd overall) of the1990 NFL draft.[2]In 1991, he was fourth on the team with 24 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns while making 6 starts in twotight endformations.
In 1992, he became a full-time starter until the seventh game of the season and still registered 55 receptions, which ranked second on the team and second in theNFLfortight ends.[3]He received NFC Offensive Player of the Week after tallying 5 catches for 128 yards (team record for tight ends), including a career-long 66-yard touchdown, against theDenver Broncos.
The next year despite missing 4 games with a left meniscus tear, he tallied 42 receptions, finishing second on the team in receiving behindSterling Sharpefor the second year in a row. His knee injury forced him to miss 2 playoff games.
On June 22, 1994, Harris signed a 4-year, $7.6 million contract with theTampa Bay Buccaneersas arestricted free agent,becoming the NFL's highest-paidtight endby annual average salary.[4]Although the Packers had the option, they eventually decided not to match the offer.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
editIn 1994, he was limited to only 9 games, after suffering a shouldersubluxationagainst theChicago Bearsand being placed on theinjured reserve liston November 22. At the time of his injury, he was second in receptions among NFC tight ends.
In 1995, he started 16 games for the first time in his career, recording career-highs with 62 receptions (team record for tight ends) for 751 yards. Against theGreen Bay Packers,he established a new club record for receptions by a tight end with 10 catches for 122 yards.
In 1996,Tony Dungybecame the team's newhead coachand installed a run-oriented offense, which caused his production to decline over the next two years.
In 1997, he missed four games with a groin injury, returning in the playoffs against theDetroit Lions.He was placed on theinjured reserve listbefore the divisional playoff game against theGreen Bay Packers,due to complications from his recentherniasurgery.
Tennessee Oilers / Titans
editOn March 11, 1998, he signed as afree agentwith theTennessee Oilers,finishing second on the team with 43 receptions for 412 yards and 2 touchdowns.[5]
In 1999, his 14 postseason receptions for a team-high 117 yards, tied for the team lead in postseason receptions. Harris started in a 2 tight end formation inSuper Bowl XXXIV,although they would lose to theKurt Warner-ledSt. Louis Rams.
Dallas Cowboys
editHarris signed with theDallas Cowboysas afree agenton March 17, 2000.[6]He was givenMichael Irvinold number #88. Although he was just expected to replace backupEric Bjornsonand complementtight endDavid LaFleur,afterwide receiversJoey GallowayandRaghib Ismailwere lost for the season, Harris became an integral part of the offense, lining up at different positions, while finishing first on the team intouchdowncatches (5), second in receptions (39) and third in receiving yards (306). In 2001, LaFleur was waived injured and he became the team's starter attight end.
After completing two years of a four-year contract, Harris was released by the team on February 28, 2002 to "create salary cap room",[7]effectively ending hisNFLcareer.[7]
NFL career statistics
edit| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
edit| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1990 | GNB | 16 | 3 | 12 | 157 | 13.1 | 26 | 0 |
| 1991 | GNB | 16 | 6 | 24 | 264 | 11.0 | 35 | 3 |
| 1992 | GNB | 16 | 11 | 55 | 595 | 10.8 | 40 | 2 |
| 1993 | GNB | 12 | 12 | 42 | 604 | 14.4 | 66 | 4 |
| 1994 | TAM | 9 | 9 | 26 | 337 | 13.0 | 48 | 3 |
| 1995 | TAM | 16 | 16 | 62 | 751 | 12.1 | 33 | 1 |
| 1996 | TAM | 13 | 12 | 30 | 349 | 11.6 | 36 | 1 |
| 1997 | TAM | 12 | 11 | 19 | 197 | 10.4 | 39 | 1 |
| 1998 | TEN | 16 | 16 | 43 | 412 | 9.6 | 32 | 2 |
| 1999 | TEN | 12 | 1 | 26 | 297 | 11.4 | 62 | 1 |
| 2000 | DAL | 16 | 7 | 39 | 306 | 7.8 | 21 | 5 |
| 2001 | DAL | 13 | 12 | 15 | 141 | 9.4 | 28 | 2 |
| 167 | 116 | 393 | 4,410 | 11.2 | 66 | 25 | ||
Playoffs
edit| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1997 | TAM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1999 | TEN | 4 | 2 | 14 | 117 | 8.4 | 21 | 0 |
| 5 | 2 | 15 | 121 | 8.1 | 21 | 0 | ||
Personal life
editIn October 1996, Harris purchasedKPBA(1270 AM), aChristian radiostation operated by a local Baptist church.[8][9][10]By 1999, he would expand his media holdings to three radio stations, all playing aChristian radioformat.[10][11]
In June 2001, Jackie Harris and his wife Letrece were honored for their "commitment to downtown Pine Bluff" as Small Business Persons of the Year by the Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce.[12]
References
edit- ^"The Team of Destiny: An oral history of ULM's national title".RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^"1990 NFL Draft Listing".Pro-Football-Reference.RetrievedMay 25,2023.
- ^"Harris speaks volumes on field".Archived fromthe originalon May 12, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^"Bucs make Harris highest paid tight end".RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^"Harris signs with Oilers".RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^"Cowboys sign veteran Harris".RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^abTaylor, Jean-Jacques (February 28, 2002)."Stepnoski among trio cut by Cowboys".Dallas Morning News.RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^"Broadcast Actions (Report No. 43847)".Federal Communications Commission. October 16, 1996.RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^"High Voltage: Harris spreads word over own stations".Fort Worth Star-Telegram.October 11, 2000.RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^abBuck, Ray (December 24, 2001). "Life becomes a joy for Cowboys' Harris".Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- ^Nichols, Bill (September 13, 2000)."Spotlight on... Jackie Harris".Dallas Morning News.RetrievedFebruary 19,2018.
- ^Friedman, Mark (August 6, 2001). "Football Star Jackie Harris Fumbles in Radio".Arkansas Business.Journal Publishing, Inc.