Getty Damon Harrison on the field with the Lions in 2018.
The Detroit Lions have had tons of players come and go through the years, but few have made as big an impact in a short amount of time as Damon Harrison.
Harrison was added in 2018, and came to the Lions from the New York Giants. Immediately, he became a fan favorite and was also a favorite in the locker room. Harrison didn’t miss a beat with the team and fit in well immediately. While he left soon after that, he wasn’t forgotten by the same fans. A few years later, Harrison is calling it a career.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
On Twitter on Saturday, November 13, Harrison revealed that he was officially going to hang it up from the NFL for good. Here’s a look at his post:
Leaving out the same way I came in…with my head held high and unapologetic. It’s been real @NFL 🙏🏾 thanks for giving a kid from the projects of New Iberia & Lake Charles Louisiana a chance. I made history!!! They said I couldn’t do it but I did it! #Rags2Riches Snacks OUT ✌🏾
“Leaving out the same way I came in…with my head held high and unapologetic. It’s been real NFL,” Harrison wrote. “Thanks for giving a kid from the projects of New Iberia & Lake Charles Louisiana a chance. I made history!!! They said I couldn’t do it but I did it! #Rags2Riches Snacks OUT.”
Harrison has played only sparingly in the league since being let go by the Lions, and played in just six games since with Seattle and Green Bay. To that end, the last big impact he made was with the Lions in the league, and by including a photo from his time in Detroit, it’s clear that was meaningful for him as well.
Harrison’s Lions Career
With the Lions needing defensive help at the 2018 trade deadline, former general manager Bob Quinn struck and managed to add a player that was a force up front for the team. Harrison had played in 17 games his first season for the Lions, having played in all of New York’s games before the bye week and then all of Detroit’s following their bye which Harrison missed. In a short time, Harrison managed to do a decent job in the trenches in the middle of Detroit’s line.
Harrison put up 99 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 passes defended in his brief two year career with Detroit. Fans came to love him for how he mixed it up with the team on the internet and how honest he was. To this day, he does remain a beloved figure in the Motor City.
Harrison’s Stats & Highlights
Coming into the league as an undrafted rookie, Harrison managed to make the New York Jets and stick there for four years, putting up 193 tackles and 1.5 sacks. From there, he went to the New York Giants where he stayed for three years before his trade to Detroit. With the Giants, Harrison put up 193 total tackles and 4 sacks. As a whole, Harrison will finish with a total of 494 combined tackles, 11 sacks, 10 passes defended and 5 forced fumbles.
Here’s a look at some of his best work:
Harrison will be missed on the field, but he will not be missed on social media, where fans can still get his takes. It’s clear he will always look back on his time on Detroit fondly.
READ NEXT: Lions Pegged for First-Round Quarterback Surprise During 2022 Draft