Tommie Harris facts for kids
Harris in 2007
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | April 29, 1983 Nuremberg, Germany |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 295 lb (134 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Ellison | ||||||||||
| College: | Oklahoma | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Tommie Harris Jr. (born April 29, 1983) is a former professional football player. He was a defensive tackle for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Tommie played college football for the University of Oklahoma. He was named an All-American twice. The Chicago Bears picked him in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played for the San Diego Chargers. Tommie was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times.
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Early Life and High School Football
Tommie Harris was born in Nuremberg, Germany. His father, Tommie Sr., was a United States Army drill sergeant there. His family moved often because of his father's Army job. They finally settled in Killeen, Texas. Tommie's father was a Pentecostal minister. His mother, Janine, taught special education. Tommie grew up in a Christian home with his four sisters.
He went to Ellison High School in Killeen. As an Ellison Eagle, Tommie became one of the best high school defensive players in the country. He was ranked among the top prospects. In 1998, as a sophomore, he was a backup defensive tackle. His team was ranked number one in Texas. Tommie also competed in track and field. He was good at the shot put.
College Football Career
Tommie Harris played for the Oklahoma Sooners from 2001 to 2003. He played under coach Bob Stoops. Tommie was one of the few players in Oklahoma history to start every game as a freshman. He was chosen for the All-Big 12 team twice.
He was named a first-team All-American in 2002. In 2003, he was a unanimous first-team All-American. In his last year at Oklahoma, Tommie won the Lombardi Award. This award goes to the best lineman in the nation. Sports Illustrated also named him to their All-Decade Team in 2009.
Professional Football Journey
Playing for the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears chose Tommie Harris in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft. He was the 14th player picked overall. Tommie was a 3-technique defensive tackle. He fit well with coach Lovie Smith's defense. This defense needed fast linemen to break through the opposing team's line. Coach Smith compared Tommie to famous player Warren Sapp.
Tommie played in all 16 games for the Bears in 2004. He made 44 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He was second in voting for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. In 2005, Tommie was chosen for the 2006 Pro Bowl.
He started the 2006 season very well. He led the league with five sacks after four games. He helped the Bears win a game against the Vikings. He forced a fumble, which led to the winning touchdown. Tommie won the NFC's "Defensive Player of the Week" award twice. He got a hamstring injury late in the season. Tommie was still chosen for the 2007 Pro Bowl.
Tommie missed some preseason games in 2007 due to his injury. He played in all 16 games for the Bears that year. He had a career-high eight sacks. Tommie was chosen for his third straight Pro Bowl. However, he could not go because of a knee injury.
In 2008, Tommie signed a new contract with the Bears. He missed a game due to a knee injury. The Bears suspended him for missing treatments for his knee. Tommie played in 14 games that season. He made 37 tackles and 4 sacks.
Tommie's role with the Bears became smaller after he hurt his knee again in 2009. He never fully recovered from this injury. He was ejected from a game for punching an opposing player. He later said he was sorry for this.
In 2010, Tommie was benched after the second week. Coach Lovie Smith said it was based on performance. Tommie struggled to get his starting spot back. He finished the season with his lowest tackles and sacks in Chicago. The Bears released Tommie Harris in 2011. He played seven years with the team. He had 213 tackles and 28.5 sacks.
Time with Other Teams
On August 2, 2011, Tommie signed a contract with the Indianapolis Colts. However, he was released a month later.
Tommie then signed with the San Diego Chargers in September 2011. He joined the team to help their defensive line. He played in 13 games for the Chargers. He made 12 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Retiring from Football
Tommie Harris retired from football in 2012. He chose to retire to focus on raising his children. This decision came after his wife's unexpected death.
Life After Football
Tommie Harris was a co-owner of the Texas Outlaws. This was a team in the Fall Experimental Football League. He also gave $165,000 to help pay for new equipment. This equipment was for the Lions Club Park Family Recreation and Senior Center in Killeen, Texas. The recreation center was named after him to honor his gift.
Personal Life
NFL Hall of Famer Reggie White was a mentor to Tommie Harris. Reggie's advice greatly shaped Tommie's life and career. Tommie stayed close with the White family.
Tommie married his wife, Ashley, in 2012. They had two children together. In February 2012, Ashley sadly died suddenly. In 2016, his daughter also passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In 2020, Tommie's father, Tommie Sr., died after a long illness. Tommie wrote a book in 2021 about dealing with his personal challenges. It is called Endure: Playing Through Life's Hardest Hits.
