The Atlanta Falcons are bringing back starting safety Erik Harris on a one-year deal, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero’s report on March 22.
This will more his second year in Atlanta after signing his first one-year deal with the Falcons last offseason.
Harris, 32, logged 64 tackles and 8 passes defended through 13 games last season before having to undergo season-ending surgery on his pectoral, which was a success.
Whether or not he jumps back into a starting role remains to be seen as the Falcons also have Jaylinn Hawkins, Richie Grant and recently signed Teez Tabor competing at the position.
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Harris’ Inspiring NFL Journey Continues
Harris’ background is hard to overlook, which makes him an even more respected player on and off the field.
After receiving zero interest from NFL teams following Cal U’s Pro Day, Harris was forced to get a “real” job. He ended up as a corn mixer at UTZ potato chip factory in Hannover, Pa.
“It was the worst job in the whole plant,” Harris said in an interview with AtlantaFalcons.com in 2021. “I worked above 600-degree ovens and it was about 110 degrees in there every day. I had to wear pants. So I would take 50-pound corn flower bags and dump it into a dry hopper. Send it up into a mixer. Mix it up. Pour it down to the fryers underneath of me. Did that for 11 hours a day for a whole summer. I do not miss that job, but I am thankful for that job.”
After the summer, he went back to school to finish his degree and began another job as a UPS Belt Manager, where he was in charge of overseeing the belts where the boxes went out for delivery. He stayed at the job for a few months before he decided to drive to Buffalo and try out for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.
Harris signed a three-year deal with the Tiger-Cats and he played in 45 games, recording 79 tackles and three interceptions. Three years late, the New Orleans Saints came calling, which is where he first met Terry Fontenot, who served as the director of Pro Scouting. From there, Harris signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, before being reunited with Fontenot in Atlanta.
“I felt in my heart there was a place for me in the NFL, I didn’t know [where] the journey would take me,” Harris said. “The journey has been amazing. I have a lot of people to thank for that.”
Falcons Sign Versatile DB
The Falcons added Tabor last week.
Tabor, 26, brings versatility to the Falcons having played both cornerback and safety with stints at the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. Although he has very little starting experience, he comes with plenty of special teams experience.
The Florida product originally went drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions in the 2017 NFL Draft. He lasted three years in Detroit before being released in 2019.
Tabor most likely won’t be in starting role this season, but expect him to be one of the Falcons’ key players on special teams.
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