Harris was named to the NFL All-Rookie team in 1971 and was widely regarded as one of the fastest defensive linemen in professional football before being hobbled by knee injuries.
Harris spent seven seasons as a lineman in the NFL – three with the Philadelphia Eagles, two more with the Chicago Bears, and a final two years with the Seattle Seahawks.
"[3]Telling his mother that he was out playing with friends when he was really going to football practice,[1] Harris learned the game and began to develop his natural athletic skills, making use of his sprinter-caliber speed.
[2] Initially very thin at 178 pounds, Harris nevertheless made use of his superior speed and quickness in the high school game, earning the attention of college recruiters.
[2] Initially just 214 pounds when he reported to college,[2] Harris played for head coach Eddie Robinson and his Grambling Tigers, filling out to become a 6'3", 265-pound defensive lineman.
[6] Going into the January 1971 NFL draft, Harris was highly touted by his former Grambling coach, Eddie Robinson, who deemed him "the quickest big man in the country.
[9] Eagles owner Leonard Tose was enthusiastic about his team's choice, noting that it had Harris at number 4 on its draft board, behind only the first three selections of the lottery – quarterbacks Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, and Dan Pastorini.
[14] Negotiations were clouded by legal wrangling between two sports agencies, one of which had been controversially dismissed in favor of representation by Dallas financier Zip Viracola.
[3] After a slow start during his 1971 rookie campaign, during which Harris rode the bench while the Eagles' defense gave up more than 30 points three weeks in a row, head coach Jerry Williams was replaced by Ed Khayat.
Nursing a sore knee during the preseason, Harris was abruptly benched by defensive coach Jess Richardson in September, ostensibly due to a failure to maintain containment assignments.
"[18] The guarantee of victory over their hated rivals was not backed up by the Eagles' play, however, as the team fell by a score of 27–12, with Harris hyperextending and injuring his right knee in first half action.
Ahead of the 1973 campaign, the Eagles attempted to rebuild their fortunes by trading star wideout Harold Jackson and two future first round draft picks for 32-year old quarterback Roman Gabriel.
[21] Harris was ultimately lost for the opening month of the 1973 season when he was double-teamed high and low in the fourth quarter of a September exhibition game against the New York Jets, partially tearing ligaments in his right knee.
[23] His time with the Eagles neared its close, with the team insisting that he reduce his weight below 260 pounds before being moved back to his natural position of defensive end.
One of these rookies shined particularly brightly for the Eagles, defensive lineman Willie Cullars, a seventh round draft pick out of Kansas State.
[25] The termination of the strike spelled the end of Harris' time in Philadelphia, however, as on August 17 he was traded to the Chicago Bears for veteran cornerback Charlie Ford.
[28] New Bears head coach Jack Pardee was very satisfied with Harris' performance going into the year, noting that his 21 tackles and 11 assists lead all linemen in the preseason.
The same day hew placed on waivers by the Bears, Harris was claimed by the expansion Seattle Seahawks, who sought to solidify their young defensive line with an experienced veteran.
[31] Beginning the season as a reserve, Harris was added to the starting lineup at right defensive tackle by Seahawks coach Jack Patera in the middle of October.
[32] Unsurprisingly, the new Seahawks squad found themselves mired in the cellar of the National Football Conference's western division, finishing the season with a record of 2–12.