Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison didn’t want to leave the New York Jets in 2016
From 2012-15, the New York Jets had one of the most dominant run-stuffers in the NFL.
Then, like a puff of smoke, he vanished — off to join the rival New York Giants, no less.
Out of nowhere, former defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison revealed how that came to be.
Was one missed call by Woody away from staying too 🤷🏾♂️ Giants told me I needed to make a decision ASAP and I tried to wait for him but I had to take the deal before they moved on. https://t.co/lKy3szlA5m
— Billy (@snacks) January 7, 2024
Harrison implies that he wanted to remain with the Jets but needed to discuss whether Woody Johnson would match the Giants’ contract offer. The problem was that Johnson was not picking up the phone. Faced with an ultimatum from the Giants, he accepted their contract offer so they would not withdraw it.
Per Pro Football Focus, Harrison led the NFL in run-stop percentage from 2013-16. Three of those seasons were with the Jets. In 2016, the Jets dropped from second in rush yards per game allowed (83.4) the year before to 13th (98.8). While that’s still above average, they clearly missed Snacks in their disappointing follow-up to their 10-win season in 2015. The Jets went 5-11, and losing Harrison was certainly one element in that.
Harrison’s tweet was in response to a fan tweet comparing Harrison’s situation to Bryce Huff’s. Both were undrafted free agents whom the team developed into top players at their respective positions. Huff already indicated that he won’t give the Jets a hometown discount and wants to play a full-time role, which puts his future with the Jets very much in doubt.
Still, it may be even more difficult for the Jets to replace Huff’s impact than the struggle to fill Harrison’s shoes. Huff racked up 10.5 sacks and over 60 pressures while playing just 42% of the Jets’ defensive snaps. He will likely have an active bidding market around the league.
It remains to be seen whether the Jets want to be the highest bidder.
