For most players, the journey from college football to the NFL is the pinnacle. For Damien Harris, it became the foundation.
The former Alabama running back, two-time national champion and five-year NFL veteran joined Game Runs Deep with Sudu Upadhyay for a unique episode on the golf course, where the conversation ranged from Nick Saban and Bill Belichick to Lane Kiffin, Alabama’s dynasty, life after football and the mindset that continues to shape him today.
Rather than dwelling on championships or statistics, Harris repeatedly returned to one central message: football was never the destination, it was the vehicle.
Football as a foundation
Just weeks after hosting his Heart of Harris youth camp in his hometown of Richmond, Kentucky, Harris explained the message he shares with young athletes.
While football gave him opportunities to play at Alabama, reach the NFL and eventually work for CBS Sports, he believes the sport’s greatest value came through the discipline, accountability and habits it instilled.
The first day of the Heart of Harris Foundation Youth Football Camp — hosted by former NFL player Damien Harris — is wrapping up at Madison Central
— Richmond Sports (@RichmondRsports) July 13, 2024
But, the free event is set for two more sessions on Sunday!
Ages 8-12 – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Ages 13-16 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.@MCentral_FB pic.twitter.com/wHZntrqdkq
Those lessons, Harris said, prepared him for life after football and allowed him to transition into broadcasting following a career-ending neck injury in 2023.
From Richmond, Kentucky to Alabama’s dynasty
Harris recalled realizing at a young age that football could change his life. That path eventually led him to Tuscaloosa, where the reality of Alabama football hit almost immediately.
Walking into a locker room featuring Derrick Henry, Reuben Foster, Calvin Ridley, O.J. Howard, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Marlon Humphrey and countless future NFL stars was a wake-up call. Harris admitted he wasn’t ready when he first arrived, but learning alongside that caliber of talent helped elevate every aspect of his game.
Harris played in four consecutive national championship games while sharing the field with quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, running backs Derrick Henry, Kenyan Drake, Josh Jacobs, Najee Harris and Bo Scarbrough, and receivers Calvin Ridley, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, and Henry Ruggs III. It remains one of the most talent-rich eras in college football history.
The coaches who shaped him
Having played for both Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, Harris offered a rare perspective on two of football’s greatest coaches.
He explained that Saban’s influence extended well beyond football, pointing to one lesson that continues to guide him:
“How you do something is how you do everything.”
According to Harris, Saban demanded consistency in every area of life, from academics and relationships to practice habits, creating a culture where excellence became the expectation.
When discussing offensive coordinators, Harris gave current Tennessee Titans OC Brian Daboll the edge over Lane Kiffin, Mike Locksley and Steve Sarkisian.
While Kiffin’s genius came from simplifying the game for his playmakers, Harris said Daboll introduced an NFL-style system that ultimately made his transition to New England much smoother after being drafted by the Patriots.
Lane Kiffin stories only Alabama could tell
One of the most entertaining portions of the interview centered on Lane Kiffin.
Harris laughed while describing Kiffin as “one of the smartest, coolest dudes on the planet,” before sharing stories about how the former Alabama offensive coordinator routinely pushed Nick Saban’s buttons during practice.
According to Harris, Kiffin ignored Saban’s instructions during inside run periods, spread the offense out anyway, continued calling aggressive plays and watched the offense repeatedly gas the defense, eventually leading Saban to tell him he was fired during practice.
Kiffin simply stayed on the field and kept calling plays.
Now that Kiffin is the head coach at LSU, Harris believes he has everything necessary to win a national championship, while joking that the expectations and pressure in Baton Rouge will be unlike anything he’s experienced before.
Building the perfect Alabama running back
No Alabama football conversation would be complete without discussing the Crimson Tide’s remarkable lineage at running back.
Harris built his ideal Alabama back by selecting different players for specific traits, giving himself the nod for vision and football IQ while choosing Derrick Henry for power, toughness and pass protection, Jahmyr Gibbs for speed, Josh Jacobs for receiving ability and Bo Scarbrough as an underrated choice for elusiveness.
The segment also sparked stories about Derrick Henry’s legendary toughness, Reuben Foster’s physicality and the incredible competition inside Alabama’s running back room.
Gratitude over regret
After suffering the neck injury that ended his NFL career, Harris admitted retirement was not part of the plan.
Instead of dwelling on what could have been, he leaned on the perspective football had already given him.
Not long afterward, CBS Sports offered him an opportunity in broadcasting, allowing him to begin the next chapter of his career.
For Harris, it reinforced the same belief he now teaches young athletes: football can open doors, but the lessons learned through the game are what carry people through the rest of their lives.
