1. Tommie Harris played college football for the University of Oklahoma, and was recognized as a consensus All-American twice.
37 Facts About Tommie Harris
1. 2.
Harris was born in Nuremberg, Germany, where his father, Tommie Sr, was stationed as a United States Army drill sergeant.
3.
Tommie Harris was raised in a devout Christian household alongside his four sisters.
4.
Tommie Harris was a member of Ellison's track and field team, where he participated in the shot put.
5.
Tommie Harris is one of the very few players in OU history to start every game of his true freshman season.
6.
Tommie Harris was a two-time All-Big 12 selection, and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 2002 and a unanimous first-team All-American in 2003.
7.
Tommie Harris was named to the Sports Illustrated All-Decade Team in 2009.
8.
Tommie Harris appeared in all 16 games for the Bears during the 2004 NFL season, where he recorded 44 combined tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
9.
Tommie Harris finished second in balloting for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
10.
In 2005, Tommie Harris was selected for the 2006 Pro Bowl.
11.
Tommie Harris enjoyed an excellent start to the 2006 season, leading the league with five sacks after four games.
12.
Tommie Harris was instrumental in a week 3 victory over the Vikings, disrupting a handoff in the Vikings backfield and forcing a fumble, which allowed the Bears to score the game-winning touchdown.
13.
Tommie Harris was awarded the NFC's "Defensive Player of the Week" award twice in three weeks.
14.
Tommie Harris suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in the Bears' Week 13 victory against the Vikings.
15.
Tommie Harris missed the first three games of the 2007 preseason while recovering from his hamstring injury.
16.
Tommie Harris played in the Bears' season opener against the San Diego Chargers and forced a fumble.
17.
Tommie Harris appeared in all 16 games for the Bears, finishing the 2007 campaign with two forced fumbles and a career high eight sacks.
18.
Tommie Harris was selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl, but did not attend due a knee injury.
19.
One June 19,2008, Tommie Harris signed a four-year contract extension with the Bears worth $40 million, which made him the highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL.
20.
Tommie Harris missed the Bears week four game against the Philadelphia Eagles due to a knee injury.
21.
Tommie Harris appeared in 14 games for the Bears, tallying 37 tackles and 4 sacks.
22.
In 2010, Tommie Harris was benched after the second week of the season.
23.
Tommie Harris recorded his only sack of the season in week 17 against the Green Bay Packers.
24.
Tommie Harris finished the season with only 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks, his lowest during his time in Chicago.
25.
Tommie Harris concluded his seven-year tenure with the Bears with 213 tackles, 28.5 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles in 104 games.
26.
Tommie Harris signed with the San Diego Chargers on September 28,2011 to reinforce the team's defensive line following injuries to Luis Castillo and Jacques Cesaire.
27.
Tommie Harris appeared in 13 games for the Chargers where he recorded 12 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
28.
Tommie Harris retired from football in 2012 to raise his children following his wife's unexpected death.
29.
Tommie Harris was the co-owner of the Texas Outlaws of the Fall Experimental Football League along with fellow NFL alum Eric Bassey.
30.
Tommie Harris donated $165,000 to pay for new equipment in the Lions Club Park Family Recreation and Senior Center in Killeen, Texas.
31.
Tommie Harris was mentored by NFL Hall of Famer Reggie White, whose influence significantly shaped his life and playing career.
32.
Tommie Harris remained close with the White family even after his death in 2004.
33.
Tommie Harris married his wife, Ashley, in January 2012 and the couple had two children together.
34.
In 2016, Tommie Harris' daughter died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
35.
Tommie Harris published a book about coping with his personal struggles, titled Endure: Playing Through Life's Hardest Hits in 2021.
36.
Tommie Harris was arrested in Chicago and charged with indecent exposure, urinating in public and simple assault for threatening a police officer in 2012.
37.
Tommie Harris was arrested for trespassing in 2022 after refusing to leave the Omni Hotel in Oklahoma City.