Former Miami QB Jacory Harris finds a second career as area firefighter
Former Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has found a new passion for public service.
Jacory Harris sees parallels between playing football and being a part of the Miami-Dade Fire Department. Harris played football for the Miami Northwestern Bulls in high school. As a Miami Hurricane from 2008-2011, he threw for over 8,000 yards and 70 touchdowns.
His career as a professional for the Philadelphia Eagles and Montreal Alouettes was short-lived. According to Donovan Campbell of Miami 7 News, Harris never wanted to be seen as just a football player.
“It absolutely means everything. I’ve never wanted people to see me as just a football player,” he said. “It made me feel more human, just being able to help somebody and knowing that I made a difference in their lives.”
Jacory Harris has a fulfilling career after football
Harris is a Liberty City native and said that being a firefighter means everything to him. It makes him feel more human knowing that he can help people and make a difference in their lives. After graduating from the Fire Academy in July, he was already put in a pressure-packed 12-hour shift on his second day. He takes pride in helping those in the Miami-Dade area where he grew up.
“It’s an amazing experience, man. They can even tell through the mask, ‘Hey, Jacory. That’s you?’” he said. “It’s a good feeling, and it’s a good experience, just basically knowing I’m doing something for my community.”
As far as the parallels he sees between football and firefighting, the first is the brotherhood and camaraderie he experiences with all of the firemen and women on duty. Knowing that he and his team have the goal in mind to put out fires and help the people they serve in the community is just like his football days. The goal there being to win.
Harris credits his mom for pushing him to pursue a career as a firefighter. It just happens that it combined his love for athletics and team-bonding with his interest in the medical field.
At 30 years old now, Harris still misses the game but he understands those days are behind him and he is a different path now. He is another example of athletes using their platforms in sports to springboard into other areas of work that make a difference.
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