Damien Harris is stepping away from the game at the young age of 27 after a career with the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills that was riddled with injuries.
Harris made the announcement on Monday.
“For the past 20 years, playing the game of football has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. The people I’ve met, the places I’ve been and will go on to go, the experiences and memories I’ve made, the impact I’ve been able to make to this point, these are the things that mean the most to me. Gratitude is defined as ‘the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.’ Today I am grateful I have found strength to walk away from the game I love so much.”
Damien Harris statement on retirement
Harris was an original third-round pick of the Patriots out of Alabama in the 2019 NFL Draft. That came after a brilliant college career with the Crimson Tide that saw Harris record 3,477 total yards and 25 touchdowns in four years.
Harris played just two games as a rookie back in 2019. He was a healthy scratch for a majority of that campaign under then-head coach Bill Belichick. Harris would go on to have two productive seasons in 2020 and 2021, tallying 1,804 total yards and 17 touchdowns.
- Damien Harris stats: 2,188 rushing yards, 297 receiving yards, 21 total touchdowns
Harris played a part-time role for the Patriots in 2022, going for 462 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He then signed with the division-rival Bills last offseason. Unfortunately, Harris appeared in just six games while dealing with a neck injury.