.jpg) Harris with the East Carolina Pirates in 2009 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 17, 82 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positions | Wide receiver Return specialist | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1987-09-16)September 16, 1987 (age 38) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Tucker (Tucker, Georgia) | ||||||||||||||
| College | East Carolina (2006–2010) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2011: 6th round, 176th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Dwayne Lenard Harris (born September 16, 1987) is an American former professionalfootball player who was awide receiver andreturn specialist in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theEast Carolina Pirates. He was selected by theDallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the2011 NFL draft.
Harris playedquarterback for thefootball team atTucker High School inTucker,Georgia.[1] He was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the southeast byPrep Star Magazine.[citation needed] He was a 4A All-State selection, leading Tucker to a 10–1 record his senior year.
As a redshirt freshman, he played in all 13 games and was named to the conference's all freshmen team as a punt returner.East Carolina University won the2007 Hawaii Bowl againstBoise State on a team that also featured futureNFLrunning back,Chris Johnson.[2] As a sophomore, he played in 10 games before injuring his foot playing againstSouthern Miss. Regardless of his injury,East Carolina University won the 2008Conference USA Championship againstTulsa.[3]
In his junior year, he was named to theConference USA first-team and as theC-USASpecial Teams Player of the Year. He played in all 14 games, including a victory againstHouston in the 2009C-USA Championship and a loss toArkansas in the2010 Liberty Bowl.[4][5] In his senior year, Harris played in all 13 games and won theC-USA MVP award. The Pirates lost toMaryland in the2010 Military Bowl.[6]
He finished his college career withschool records for receptions (268) and receiving yards (3,001). He was the first player in school history to top 100 receptions in a season (101 as a senior) and the second player to gain over 6,000 career all-purpose yards (6,380). He is second in school history with 102kickoff returns for 2,374 yards.[7]
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Receiving | Rushing | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||||
| 2007 | East Carolina | CUSA | FR | WR | 13 | 26 | 246 | 9.5 | 2 | 20 | 197 | 9.9 | 1 |
| 2008 | East Carolina | CUSA | SO | WR | 10 | 58 | 654 | 11.3 | 1 | 19 | 76 | 4.0 | 0 |
| 2009 | East Carolina | CUSA | JR | WR | 14 | 83 | 978 | 11.8 | 7 | 31 | 149 | 4.8 | 5 |
| 2010 | East Carolina | CUSA | SR | WR | 13 | 101 | 1,123 | 11.1 | 10 | 16 | 104 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Career | East Carolina | 50 | 268 | 3,001 | 11.2 | 20 | 86 | 526 | 6.1 | 6 | |||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft10+3⁄8 in (1.79 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 31+1⁄8 in (0.79 m) | 10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) | 4.51 s | 1.75 s | 2.55 s | 4.21 s | 6.77 s | 34.0 in (0.86 m) | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) | 10 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine/Pro Day[8][9] | ||||||||||||
Harris was selected by theDallas Cowboys in the sixth round with the 176th overall pick in the2011 NFL draft.[10] In his first career pre-season appearance, he had a great performance against theDenver Broncos, recording five receptions for 127 yards and twotouchdowns (including a 76-yardtouchdown reception), in just two quarters of work. Unfortunately, his first year was mostly a disappointment, with the Cowboys releasing him on October 18 and signing him to their practice squad. He eventually was signed back to the active roster on December 14. As a rookie, he appeared in just seven games, returning 15 punts for 80 yards.[11]
In2012, he had his first careerpunt return for atouchdown during a Week 10 game against thePhiladelphia Eagles.[12] His 78-yard return broke a fourth-quarter tie and earned himNFCSpecial Teams Player of the Week honors.[13] His impact as a returner inspecial teams convinced the coaching staff to give him more opportunities atwide receiver. Despite being active all season, it was not until week 12 against theWashington Redskins on Thanksgiving that he started to produce as areceiver, catching four passes for 71 yards.[14] He finished second in theNFL in punt return average (16.1 yards).[15][16]
In 2013, Harris started to be used as agunner onspecial teams and in the opening game against theNew York Giants, his three coverage tackles and his effort in forcing one of the Giants’ six turnovers, earned himNFCSpecial Teams Player of the Week.[17] He was again namedNFCSpecial Teams Player of the Week, after his Week 6 performance againstWashington.[18] He registered 222 total return yards which outgained the Cowboys’ offense by nine yards, including an 88-yard punt return for atouchdown and a 90-yard kickoff return.[19][20] He also became the third player (Chris Boniol andBilly Cundiff were the first) in team history to win theNFCSpecial Teams Player of the Week two times in a season.[21] Although he was injured in three of the last four games of the season, he tied for second on the team with 12special teams tackles, finished ranked third in punt return average (12.8) and second in kick return average (30.6) in theNFL. As awide receiver he had nine receptions for 80 yards and twotouchdowns, including the game-winner against theMinnesota Vikings.[22][23]
In2014, he led the team with 18special teams tackles, but all of his other stats dropped off from the previous year. The team struggled in the return game and he was rarely targeted as the fourthwide receiver.[24]
Harris left as the franchise's all-time leader on kickoff returns with a 26.5-yard career average and a single-season 30.6-yard average in 2013. He finished tied for second with an 11.1-yard career punt return average. He is considered to be one of the bestspecial teams players inDallas Cowboys history.[25]
On March 10, 2015, he signed a five-year, $17 million contract with theNew York Giants as anunrestricted free agent. The deal included $7.1 million guaranteed with a $4 million signing bonus.[26][27] Although he was acquired to serve primarily as a return man onspecial teams, he passedPreston Parker on the depth chart as the slot wide receiver, before injuries to the receivers corp forced him to start six games during the season. Against theBuffalo Bills he recorded five receptions for 51 yards and one touchdown.[28] In the next contest, he had a career-high six receptions for 72 yards in a win over theSan Francisco 49ers.[29]On October 25, he returned a fourth quarter kickoff 100 yards (tied a team record) for the deciding touchdown against his former team, as the Giants defeated the Cowboys, 27–20.[30] For his efforts, he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[31] On December 6, he returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown in a 23–20 overtime loss to theNew York Jets, becoming the first player in franchise history to have a punt return, a kickoff return and a reception go for touchdowns in a single-season.[32][33] He recorded six receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown, in a loss against theNew England Patriots.[34] He was declared inactive for the last game with a shoulder injury, finishing with career-highs in receptions (36), receiving yards (396) and receiving touchdowns (four).[35] He finished third in the league with a 28.7-yard kick return average and seventh with a 10.0-yard punt return average.
In2016, at times he was taken off returns because of struggles with ball security and sometimes questionable decision-making. He still finished fifth in the league in kick return average (24.2 yards) and had a 5.9 yards punt return average. He posted 7special teams tackles. He had onetouchdown in his only reception of the season, that came in a week 12 win against theCleveland Browns.[36] He was also named to his firstPro Bowl.[37]
On March 21, 2017, he restructured his contract after the Giants signedfree agentwide receiverBrandon Marshall.[38] In Week 5 of the 2017 season, Harris suffered a foot fracture which required surgery, and was placed on injured reserve on October 9, 2017.[39] He appeared in five games and had nine kickoff returns for 188 net yards for a 20.88 average and seven punt returns for 48 net yards for a 6.86 average.[40]
On March 22, 2018, Harris was released by the Giants.[41]
On April 2, 2018, Harris signed with theOakland Raiders.[42] He was named the Raiders primary kick and punt returner to start the 2018 season. In Week 4, Harris returned five kicks for an average of 19.5 yards, including a 49-yard punt return in a 45–42 win over theCleveland Browns, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[43] On December 24, in Week 16, he returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown against theDenver Broncos, earning him another AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[44] The 99-yard return was the second longest punt return in NFL history.[45] He finished the season with 29 kickoff returns for 663 net yards for a 22.86 average to go along with 20 punt returns for 281 net yards for a 14.05 average.[46]
On March 18, 2019, Harris re-signed with the Raiders.[47] He was placed on injured reserve on November 18, 2019.[48]
After becoming a free agent in March 2020, Harris had a tryout with theBaltimore Ravens on August 18, 2020.[49]
On September 21, 2020, Harris was signed to theHouston Texans practice squad.[50] He was released on October 12.[51]
On October 27, 2020, Harris was signed to theChicago Bears practice squad.[52] He was elevated to the active roster four days later ahead of the Bears' week 8 game against theNew Orleans Saints, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.[53] He was then promoted to the active roster on November 7 to take over as the primary return specialist.[54] In the Bears' week 10 home loss to theMinnesota Vikings, Harris tore his triceps after he muffed a punt and attempted to recover it.[55] Harris was placed on injured reserve on November 19.[56]
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2011 | DAL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 311 | 13.5 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | DAL | 16 | 0 | 17 | 222 | 13.1 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 564 | 17.1 | 78 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | DAL | 13 | 3 | 9 | 80 | 8.9 | 24T | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 | 48 | 1,113 | 23.2 | 90 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | DAL | 16 | 0 | 7 | 116 | 16.6 | 56 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1.8 | 9 | 0 | 60 | 1,017 | 17.0 | 42 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 2015 | NYG | 15 | 6 | 36 | 396 | 11.0 | 38 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 11 | 0 | 56 | 972 | 17.4 | 100T | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | NYG | 16 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 13T | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 703 | 13.8 | 51 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2017 | NYG | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 236 | 14.8 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | OAK | 15 | 1 | 6 | 40 | 6.7 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 2.0 | 13 | 0 | 49 | 996 | 19.2 | 99T | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | OAK | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 169 | 21.1 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | CHI | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 81 | 8.1 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 109 | 12 | 77 | 874 | 11.4 | 56 | 8 | 9 | 37 | 4.1 | 13 | 0 | 353 | 6,110 | 17.6 | 100T | 5 | 16 | 5 | |
