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Ten year Dallas Cowboy free safety. Six Pro Bowls. 1st team All NFL four seasons. Five Super Bowls. NAIA Hall of Fame. Sports Illustrated all time Dream Team. 1997 NFL Alumni Legend's Award. 1970's All Pro Team. Cowboy's Ring of Honor in 2004 |
Cliff
Harris
Football
Hot Springs
Cliff Harris (born November 12, 1948 in Fayetteville,
Arkansas) was an American Football player who played Safety and for the National
Football League Dallas Cowboys from 1970 to 1979.
Harris played football at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
A math major, he was a member of Rho Sigma Fraternity and selected to Who's Who
in American Colleges and Universities his senior year (1970). He was named to
the All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football team twice and was
co-captain of the Tigers his senior year.
Harris wasn't chosen in the 1970 NFL draft, but the Cowboys found him and
invited him to training camp. He beat out Cowboys 3rd round draft choice Charlie
Waters for the free safety position his rookie year. Military obligation caused
him to miss the second half the season. He continued as starting Safety until
his retirement following the 1979 season. During his career he was chosen for
the Pro Bowl six consecutive times and was voted All Pro four times.
Nicknamed "Captain Crash" by his teammates for his reckless pursuit of ball
carriers. Hall of Fame Safety Larry Wilson said of Harris, "I feel Harris is the
finest free safety in the business today. He changed the way the position is
being played. You see other teams modeling their free safeties around the way
Harris plays the pass, and striking fear in everyone on the field because he
hits so hard." He made 5 Superbowl appearances and was selected as All-Pro 6
times.
Cowboy fans were surprised when Harris announced his retirement following the
1979 season at the age of 31 to concentrate on his business ventures. He is in
the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the NAIA Hall of Fame and Sports Illustrated
writers named him their Dream Team Free Safety. In 2004 he was a finalist for
the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was added to the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
in 2004.
He and teammate Charlie Waters wrote a book about their Cowboy memories called
"Tales From the Dallas Cowboys."