You hear their voices. You read their articles. You ask them questions.
They wear the Texans bullhead proudly on a daily basis, but don't sport pads on the job.
Who are they?
It's time to get behind the radio speakers and the computer screens, my friends.
It's time to get to know the Houston Texans talent.
Name:John Harris
College:Brown University
Title:Texans analyst, Integrated Media Manager
1. How did you break into the sports industry?
Out of college, I went directly into teaching and coaching at Episcopal High School in Jacksonville, Florida. I fell in love with coaching but wasn't sure I wanted to coach forever. So, after leaving coaching and a stint in the business world (not for me), I dove head first into being a college football analyst for radio and the website College Football News. Eventually, after years of doing free stuff, someone decided to pay me for doing radio at a brand new station in Houston, starting in 2007.
2. What's your favorite Texans football moment?
It has to be DeAndre Hopkins' catch on a throw from T.J Yates against Cincinnati in 2015 on Monday Nighy Football. I was standing a few feet away and saw Hop make that great catch AND get his feet in bounds. So, I was right there when he caught it and the entire team came down to celebrate. Because it was MNF, they had one of those huge rolling cameras on our sideline. It was in the way when all the guys came to celebrate and I sort of got pinned inside the players' celebration...not that I minded at that point. In the locker room, which was just an amazing scene, Duane Brown saw me "hey, you were like right in our celebration!" I thought he might be mad so I apologized. He goes "shoot, don't apologize, we thought it was cool."
3. If you played football, what position would you play and why?
I played receiver, tight end linebacker and safety in high school and then in college, I moved into the secondary, playing cornerback and safety.
I loved to hit so defense was a better option for me, but I was too slow to be any good. Well, that's what Coach O'Brien used to tell me in college :)
4. Favorite Texan of all time?
David Anderson. Some may not know who that is but DA was drafted in 2006. We used to kid him that he was drafted one pick in front of Marques Colston, longtime Saints great receiver.
DA had an amazing personality and was brilliant on radio. We stumbled on his greatness too. We sent reporter extraordinaire Raheel Ramzanali to the Texans locker room to get receiver Jacoby Jones to do a bunch of stupid radio stuff for our show. One day, he didn't want to sing and DA grabbed the sheet from Raheel and broke out into song. When Raheel came back, we told him that DA was our go-to guy from now on. He was the first Texan player that we really got to know. He wasn't as well known as Andre Johnson or Matt Schaub but we didn't care because he was tremendous radio. He'd do anything with us and for us.
When he left for Denver in 2010, we were heartbroken.
Being in the building the past four years, I'm a huge fan of this group of guys so it's too hard to pick just one. DA, though, will always resonate, no matter what.
5.What's one thing you want Texans fans to know about you?
I'm pretty open, considering I talk or write for a living; I don't think there's much people don't know.
I suppose the one thing I'd want for them to know is how thankful I am for the support they give to me and to this organization. I've lived in other areas of the country where they hasn't been the case. This is a special city and place. I'm proud to be from here and to be a small part of this organization that they love.
Check out some of the best shots from the first week of Texans OTAs.
