Demone Harris Bio
Demone Harris (born December 30, 1995) is an American professional football linebacker currently listed as a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL), wearing jersey number 91. Harris played college football for the Buffalo Bulls at the University at Buffalo and entered the National Football League (NFL) in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. Across his professional career he has spent time with six NFL franchises, winning Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs. Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and listed at 261 lb (118 kg), he is widely regarded as a developmental edge rusher whose career has been built largely through practice-squad promotions.
Early Life and Background
Demone Harris was born in Buffalo, New York, and grew up in the South Buffalo neighborhood of his hometown. He attended Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School, a Catholic school known throughout western New York for its athletic programs. During his early years in the sport, Harris focused primarily on basketball and did not begin playing organized football until his junior year of high school. The late start meant he entered the gridiron with limited experience, but his combination of size, length, and athleticism quickly drew the attention of local college recruiters.
Path to American Football
Coming out of Bishop Timon – St. Jude, Harris accepted a preferred walk-on opportunity at the University at Buffalo, joining the Buffalo Bulls football program in 2013. He redshirted his first year on campus, using the season to develop his body and learn the team’s defensive schemes. As a redshirt junior in 2017, he broke into the starting lineup and produced a campaign that earned him nomination for the Burlsworth Trophy, an award given to the nation’s top player who began his career as a walk-on. He was also named Second-team All-Mid-American Conference that same year, validating the long-term bet he had made on himself and setting the stage for an NFL opportunity in 2018.
Demone Harris Career
Early Career (2018)
Harris signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent on April 30, 2018, just days after the conclusion of that year’s NFL Draft. He was waived at final roster cuts on September 1 and quickly signed to the team’s practice squad, where he spent the early weeks of the regular season refining his pass-rush technique. On October 10 he was promoted to the active 53-man roster, and four days later he made his NFL debut against the Atlanta Falcons, logging four special teams snaps. Tampa Bay waived him on November 16 and re-signed him to the practice squad later that week, closing out his rookie season on a reserve/future contract signed December 31, 2018.
Tampa Bay and Baltimore Transitions (2018–2019)
Harris began the 2019 season still in the Tampa Bay system, but on October 5 he was waived and re-signed to the practice squad before being released outright ten days later. Less than a week later, on October 22, 2019, he was signed to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad after an injury to veteran linebacker Pernell McPhee opened a roster need. His stay in Baltimore lasted only one month, but it kept him in the league and connected him to a defensive coaching staff known for developing front-seven players.
Kansas City Chiefs Breakthrough (2019–2021)
On November 21, 2019, Harris was signed off the Ravens practice squad by the Kansas City Chiefs, the franchise that would soon define the next chapter of his career. He made his Kansas City debut on December 8 at Gillette Stadium against the New England Patriots, recording his first career tackle in that game when he brought down running back Rex Burkhead. The defining moment came on February 2, 2020, when Harris and the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31–20 in Super Bowl LIV, earning him a championship ring. He appeared in one regular-season game in 2020, registering three tackles of Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon in a blowout win on October 25, and bounced between the active roster and the practice squad through the 2020 and 2021 preseasons before being released in October 2021.
Houston Texans Era (2021–2022)
Harris signed with the Houston Texans practice squad on November 10, 2021, and later inked a reserve/future deal on January 11, 2022. He made the active roster in September 2022 after spending training camp with the team, but was waived on November 2 and brought back on the practice squad. On August 2, 2023, Harris was released by Houston and announced his retirement from the NFL, briefly stepping away from professional football.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2023–2024)
On August 15, 2023, Harris came out of retirement to sign with the Atlanta Falcons, providing depth along the defensive front. He was waived at final cuts and re-signed to the practice squad in September, where he spent most of the regular season. Following the conclusion of the 2023 campaign, he signed a reserve/future contract on January 10, 2024, to remain in the organization. In 2024, Harris was released on August 27, brought back to the practice squad, and then promoted to the active roster on November 29, finishing the year in Atlanta.
San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Battlehawks (2025–Present)
On August 14, 2025, Harris signed with the San Francisco 49ers in an effort to revive his NFL career, but he was released six days later. He did not remain out of professional football for long: on March 2, 2026, he signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League, where he is currently listed as an active member of the roster at defensive end/edge rusher. Through the 2024 NFL season, Harris had recorded 22 total tackles and two pass deflections in his league career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Harris is built in the mold of a modern edge rusher, using his 6-4 frame and long arms to disengage from offensive tackles. His basketball background gives him the lateral quickness needed to dip and bend around blockers on the corner, while his walk-on pedigree is reflected in a high-motor, effort-first playing style. He has historically fit best as a rotational defensive end and core special teams contributor, the type of depth piece coaches trust to spell starters on passing downs.
Notable Events and Milestones
The cornerstone of Harris’s career is his role on the Kansas City Chiefs team that won Super Bowl LIV over the San Francisco 49ers in February 2020, the franchise’s first championship in fifty years. Other milestones include his first NFL tackle against Rex Burkhead in December 2019, his three-tackle performance against the Denver Broncos in 2020, and his Burlsworth Trophy nomination at Buffalo in 2017, an award reserved for the top walk-on in college football.
Demone Harris Career Wins
Although Harris has notched only a handful of box-score statistics across his NFL career, his biggest professional victory remains Super Bowl LIV, won as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. His career has otherwise been defined by practice-squad transactions, special teams contributions, and the long climb back from a brief retirement.
Team and League Highlights
Harris’s most significant highlight came on February 2, 2020, when he was part of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31–20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium. He has also suited up for postseason-caliber rosters in Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Houston, and Atlanta, organizations that have reached the playoffs in recent years. At the college level, he earned Second-team All-MAC honors in 2017 after a breakthrough redshirt junior campaign with the Buffalo Bulls.
Demone Harris Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public details about Demone Harris’s immediate family are limited, and he has generally kept his personal life out of the spotlight. He grew up in South Buffalo and remains tied to that community through his alma mater, Bishop Timon – St. Jude High School, and his longtime ties to the University at Buffalo football program. Harris maintains a public presence on social media, including verified accounts on X and Instagram under handles associated with his name.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began with a brief stint on the San Francisco 49ers roster in mid-August, where Harris signed on August 14 before being released six days later as the team trimmed toward its regular-season shape. Following his release, he entered free agency and spent the early months of the NFL calendar waiting for a call from another franchise. On March 2, 2026, he signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League, opening a new chapter with the spring league as he continues his career in professional football. As he embeds himself with the Battlehawks, Harris is expected to provide veteran edge-rushing depth while contributing on special teams, a role that has defined his professional journey since 2018.
