The Hitman has made his final tackle.
Former New York Jets linebacker David Harris
Oliver
Ekman-Larsson Jersey , second on the team’s career tackles list, retired
Friday night after 11 NFL seasons. Harris made the announcement in a statement
released on Twitter by his agents .
”After 11 years of having played the greatest team sport at its highest level,” Harris wrote, ”it’s now time for me to announce my retirement from the
NFL.”
Always understated and humble off the field, Harris was an intense presence on it – earning the nickname ”The Hitman” for his penchant for punishing ball
carriers.
He spent his first 10 seasons with the Jets, who drafted him in the second round out of Michigan in 2007. Harris was surprisingly released by New York last
June and signed to a two-year contract by AFC East rival New England a few weeks
later.
The 34-year-old Harris was mostly a role player with the Patriots, appearing in just 10 regular-season games, and he did not play in any postseason games,
including the Super Bowl against Philadelphia.
Harris’ retirement saves the Patriots $2.1 million on their salary cap next season.
He made his mark with the Jets, though, leading the team in tackles in nine of his 10 seasons with them. Harris was also a locker-room leader who was
adamant about leading by example with an unquestioned work ethic rather than
with his words.
”Players like David Harris don’t come around very often,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said in a statement posted on the team’s website . ”He’s one of the best
players and people I’ve ever coached. I have nothing but the highest respect for
him as a person and a leader. He is an example of everything you want from a
player. I am proud to have coached him and wish him and his family the
best.”
Harris’ preference to stay out of the spotlight in New York was a rarity for a player of his skill level and accomplishments. He never sought endorsements or
acclaim, but Harris was recognized for his play on the field around the league.
He was named a second alternate to the Pro Bowl after both the 2009 – when he
was also a second-team All-Pro pick – and 2011 seasons.
Harris was also a playmaking force as the middle linebacker in Rex Ryan’s top defenses during the Jets’ runs to the AFC championship game in the 2009 and ’10
seasons. He was twice selected by his teammates as the Jets’ Dennis Byrd ”Most
Inspirational Player” and was the team MVP in 2010.
”David Harris operated at the highest standard for both performance and professionalism and is as fine a person as you will ever meet,” Jets CEO
Christopher Johnson said in a statement. ”His endurance, intelligence and
reliability were his trademarks and he was always there for his teammates. With
all of those qualities, what stands out most to me is the humility and
selflessness with which he approached each day. I wish him and his family the
absolute best that life has to offer and they will always have a home with the
New York Jets.”
Former teammates also took to social media to congratulate Harris on his retirement.
”A BOSS!” former running back Thomas Jones wrote on Twitter . ”Congratulations to `The Hitman’ David Harris on a great NFL career. Was an
honor to share the field with him. Quiet assassin!”
Added former offensive lineman Damien Woody , currently an ESPN analyst: ”Congrats to David `Hitman’ Harris on a stellar 11-yr career. Not much for
talking but was definitely bout that action boss!”
Despite Harris’ short stint in New England, he still made a lasting impression on his teammates there. Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy even lobbied
for the Jets to someday induct him into their Ring of Honor.
”S/O to my last OG David Harris!” Van Noy wrote. ”Congrats! It was only a year but the impact he had on me will be forever. True professional and the best
part about him is he’s truly selfless! Always looking to help and never
complained. True leader! Green team better give him a green coat!!!”
—
TORONTO — There was a sense of relief in the Detroit Tigers’ clubhouse after their 9-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.
The victory, propelled by a grand slam from Nicholas Castellanos, a career-best four hits by Niko Goodrum and seven strong innings by starting
pitcher Jordan Zimmermann, ended an 11-game losing streak.
It was the Tigers’ longest losing streak since Aug. 13-23, 2003. They have not lost 12 in a row since 1996.
“It’s good to hear the music playing out there and guys smiling,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said.
The Tigers have a chance to escape the Rogers Centre with a split in the four-game series by winning the finale on Monday afternoon.
The Tigers will start right-hander Mike Fiers (5-4, 4.04 ERA) against Blue Jays left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1, 3.00).
The Tigers had a team meeting before the game.
“It was just a casual talk,” Gardenhire said. “It wasn’t this rah-rah (speech). … I just let them talk and I just said to
them Richard
Panik Jersey , ‘Tell me what we need to do.’ Some guys spoke up and that’s
all I wanted to hear. We’re playing hard. We’ve lost 11 in a row up to this
point. These guys have been playing, man. They’ve been in every game. We’ve had
a chance to win a bunch of these games.”
The Tigers (37-48) were able to put together a five-run fifth inning with a rally that started with two outs against Toronto starter J.A. Happ, who was 6-0
in his previous eight starts. They added two runs in the sixth, also with a
rally that began with two out.
The losing streak was the longest by two games in the majors this season and the longest since the Los Angeles Dodgers lost 11 in a row last September.
“We’ve had our chances over the last 10 or 11 games,” Zimmermann said. “It’s just a matter of if we’re going to cash in when we’ve got guys in scoring
position. We were able to do that today.”
The Blue Jays (39-44) are expected to trade Happ before the July 31 deadline. When he departed in the sixth inning, the Canada Day crowd gave him an
ovation.
“I did notice, and I certainly appreciate that,” Happ said. “Maybe it was appreciation for how the season has gone so far or whatever you might take from
it, that’s kind of what I took from it. That’s a nice feeling, certainly nicer
than potentially getting booed, not that I would expect that at all,
either.”
The Tigers face a pitcher who made his major-league debut Tuesday against the Astros in Houston in Borucki. He took the loss after allowing two runs, six hits
and four walks in six innings.
Fiers pitched seven strong innings Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics, but took the loss despite allowing only one run on five hits and one walk while
striking out five.
Fiers has faced the Blue Jays six times in his career, five as a starter, and is 1-3 with a 4.11 ERA. He made two starts against Toronto last season and was
0-1 with a 5.25 ERA. In two career starts at the Rogers Centre, Fiers is 0-2
with a 5.91 ERA.
The only disappointing news for the Tigers Sunday came from a hamstring injury to center fielder Leonys Martin, who hobbled off the field after a
beating out an RBI bunt single in the fifth inning. It was at first announced as
a cramp, but Gardenhire said the injury was severe enough to put him on the
disabled list. Another player will be brought in for the game Monday.
The day was not a complete loss for the Blue Jays. In the ninth inning, center fielder Kevin Pillar made a spectacular leaping catch to rob Castellanos
of what would have been his second homer of the day.
Gardenhire said even Castellanos appreciated Pillar’s catch, although it cost him a homer.
“That was amazing,” Gardenhire said. “That’s a long run, to climb the wall like that and make that play, the timing, the whole package that just tells you
how special an athlete he is.”
The teams are 3-3 in the season series.
