Heart of a Hall of Famer: Cliff Harris talks about 'Welcome to the NFL' moment, leadership
The latest installment in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s “Heart of a Hall of Famer” series went south to Cowboys’ Country in Dallas, Texas, for a sitdown with a “rolling ball of butcher knives.” Yes — you read that correctly. GEORGE ALLEN, the Hall of Fame coach, coined this phrase talking about our guest for this program CLIFF HARRIS.
In 1970, the Dallas Cowboys, like every other team in the National Football League, opted not to select Harris, a safety, during any of the 17 rounds of the annual player draft. However, after watching films of tiny Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, the Cowboys scouting department and coaching staff agreed he was worth a free-agent tryout. Harris signed with the Cowboys as a free agent.
A model of consistency throughout his career, Harris earned the nickname “Captain Crash” for his hard-hitting technique. In addition to 29 career interceptions, “Captain Crash” also accounted for 16 opponents’ fumble recoveries.
Harris was also an astute student of the game. His vision and leadership on the field earned him the respect of teammates and opponents alike. Six times during his 10-season career Harris was recognized by his peers and the league’s coaches by being invited to play in the Pro Bowl. He was also named first- or second-team All-Pro or All-NFC six times.
He shared stories around leadership, his “Welcome to the NFL” moment in the huddle with fellow Hall of Famer BOB LILLY and answered questions from students all over the country while he was at Lake Highlands High School in Texas. Watch the full episode below.
There will be three more installments of the “Heart of a Hall of Famer” series, connected by Extreme Networks, over the next month, so make sure to stay tuned in at https://www.profootballhof.com/youth-education.
In 1970, the Dallas Cowboys, like every other team in the National Football League, opted not to select Harris, a safety, during any of the 17 rounds of the annual player draft. However, after watching films of tiny Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, the Cowboys scouting department and coaching staff agreed he was worth a free-agent tryout. Harris signed with the Cowboys as a free agent.
A model of consistency throughout his career, Harris earned the nickname “Captain Crash” for his hard-hitting technique. In addition to 29 career interceptions, “Captain Crash” also accounted for 16 opponents’ fumble recoveries.
Harris was also an astute student of the game. His vision and leadership on the field earned him the respect of teammates and opponents alike. Six times during his 10-season career Harris was recognized by his peers and the league’s coaches by being invited to play in the Pro Bowl. He was also named first- or second-team All-Pro or All-NFC six times.
He shared stories around leadership, his “Welcome to the NFL” moment in the huddle with fellow Hall of Famer BOB LILLY and answered questions from students all over the country while he was at Lake Highlands High School in Texas. Watch the full episode below.
There will be three more installments of the “Heart of a Hall of Famer” series, connected by Extreme Networks, over the next month, so make sure to stay tuned in at https://www.profootballhof.com/youth-education.
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