Damon “Snacks” Harrison calls it a career
Following a nine-season career in the NFL, former New York Jets defensive lineman Damon “Snacks” Harrison took to Twitter to announce his retirement at age 32. Harrison finishes his career with 494 combined tackles and 11 sacks.
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 ✌🏾 pic.twitter.com/W6hlwmYJnX
— Billy (@snacks) November 13, 2021
After not receiving a scholarship out of high school and being cut from his community college football team, Harrison received an offer to William Penn University. At the time, he was working as an overnight stocker at Wal-Mart. Harrison is one of only three players from Wiliam Penn University to play in the NFL.
Jets fans know Snacks well. Harrison signed with the team in 2012 as an undrafted free agent and became a mainstay on the defensive line for four years, stamping a reputation as one of the best run-stuffers in the NFL.
In 2016, Harrison signed a lucrative five-year $46.25 million contract in free agency with the Jets’ intra-stadium rivals, the Giants.
In Harrison’s first season with the Giants (2016), he earned All-Pro honors with 55 solo tackles and 2.5 sacks.
From 2012-2017, nobody in the NFL was better at stopping the run than Harrison.
Damon Harrison: A run-stuffer in a league of his own. pic.twitter.com/vYzAYsiblM
— PFF (@PFF) May 5, 2017
During the 2018 regular season, Harrison was traded from the Giants to the Detroit Lions, where he would become the first defensive lineman to appear in 17 games in a single season since 1930. He played 25 games with the Lions from 2018-19.
In 2020, Harrison played six games with the Seahawks before requesting a release. He was waived in Week 16 and claimed by the Packers, for whom he played one game.
As of his retirement, Harrison ranks 13th among defensive linemen in Jets franchise history with 105 solo tackles.
Harrison runs the ‘Damon Harrison I Told the Storm’ foundation. His foundation is used to empower the youth that resides in his home state of Louisiana by giving them the proper opportunity to help better their lives.
