Former New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills running back Damien Harris, shockingly announced his retirement from professional football on March 25th, 2024. His five-year tenure in the NFL consisted of four seasons with the Patriots and one with the Bills.
Advertisement
After being selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Harris entered free agency when his one-year deal with the Bills ended. Damien Harris demonstrated development, reliability, and flexibility during his time in the NFL. Let’s examine the statistical analysis of his NFL career.
Starting in 2019, per ESPN, Damien Harris played in 2 games with the Patriots and had quite average statistics which can be expected as it was his rookie year. He had 4 rushing attempts for 12 yards and 3 receptions for 12 yards and failed to make any touchdowns. However, in 2020, he got the opportunity to play 10 games where he showcased his with 137 attempts, tallying 691 yards and 2 touchdowns.
He even had 5 receptions for 52 yards in the passing game. Harris excelled during the 2021 season and played a key role in 15 games for the Patriots. He gained 929 yards on 202 carries and scored an impressive 15 touchdowns. Furthermore, he also managed to haul in 18 receptions for a total of 132 yards.
He continued his impressive journey in 2022 and recorded 106 rushing attempts for 462 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with 17 catches for 97 yards. He signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2023 and could not display his talents in the 3 games he played. Damien ran the ball 13 times for 51 yards and scored 1 touchdown. He also added 2 catches for a total of 16 yards.
Damien Harris Announced Retirement With A Heartfelt Instagram Post
In the statement recently issued by Damien Harris on his Instagram, he talked about his twenty-year football career, recognizing it as a significant honor. Harris experienced many ups and downs, especially overcoming several injuries that presented major challenges. A neck injury/concussion during his time with the Buffalo Bills in 2023 led to him being placed on injured reserve, ending his season early.
“Getting to represent the name on the back of my jersey on and off the field, getting to compete at the highest level with and against the best competitors while winning championships, and being coached by the 2 greatest head coaches of all time in Nick Saban and Bill Belichick are all just a small part of what God has done in my life with the game of football.” He added in his statement.
Harris also showed gratitude towards the impactful coaches he had the chance to learn from, such as Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. He highlighted the importance of the individuals he encountered, the places he explored, and the influence he had during his professional life. It will be interesting to see which path he now opts for his post-NFL career.
