Ryan Harris came to the Notre Dame radio broadcast room in 2018, having officially bid his decade-long NFL career goodbye. It wasn’t going to be easy for him, since he had to replace long-time announcer Allen Pickett. With time, HE grew to be the centerpiece of the radio crew. In 2021, Harris hilariously used words like “pickles” and “shillelagh” while talking about the Fighting Irish’s performance in a bruising 55-0 victory over Georgia Tech. Fellow broadcaster Paul Bermeister couldn’t contain his laughter.

Sadly, Notre Dame fans will no longer hear Harris and his witty yet knowledgeable takes on the mic. The 41-year-old recently announced the big career shift on his social media, along with his plans.

“I will be devoting the next season of my life pursuing NFL and television opportunities, and completing my final semester of law school,” writes Harris on X. “I move on with a full heart,  grateful for all the opportunities that Notre Dame has provided me and the people who made me better.”

 


The former offensive tackle-turned-broadcaster worked as the Notre Dame Football radio analyst for eight seasons, starting in 2018. After succeeding Allen Pickett, he became a permanent on-air color commentator. During this time, he worked with Tony Simeone and Paul Butmeister, covering home and away games regularly.

Harris is also a Notre Dame alum, having played there from 2003 to 2006. In his four seasons with the Fighting Irish, he had a notable impact playing as both right and left tackle. Harris won the Offensive Lineman of the Year award in his sophomore season.

Ryan Harris won’t be all that new to NFL media. The 41-year-old served as the national radio color analyst for NFL Prime Time game packages. He was notably part of Westwood One’s Super Bowl LVII programming and has worked with CBS Sports. He also used to cover preseason games for the Denver Broncos as an analyst.

Harris is a former Bronco himself, having played with the team for five total seasons. He also recorded stints with the Houston Texans, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harris has also won the Super Bowl with this team. He carried this honor to his Notre Dame gig, wearing the ring when he was formally introduced as part of the broadcasting crew. Now, he is planning to cover a different but familiar ground

But covering the NFL isn’t the only goal he plans to pursue in this next chapter of life. Ryan Harris is currently pursuing a law degree and is in his final year. It’s been his dream to earn a law degree since he was 16, he told the Denver Gazette last year. But being in the media is something he’s been looking forward to even before he retired.

Why Harris chose to become a broadcaster

Ryan Harris could have played for longer in the NFL had he not brutally injured his leg in his last season. It even put him in the hospital, but he realized that it was time for the inevitable. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long to find something to do in this next phase of life.

The former OT really began thinking about pursuing a career in the media when he came back to play with the Broncos. While in his Super Bowl-winning run, Harris began paying more attention to the media side of things. He “took notes,” according to the Athletic, and began approaching former football stars like Aaron Taylor for guidance. Harris was also part of the NFL’s mentorship program for players, particularly looking to explore a broadcasting career after retiring.

The transition was hard for Harris, he told the Denver Gazette. Stepping away from the gridiron was like ” telling a lawyer he can’t go in the courtroom ever again, or telling a writer he can never pick up a pen and paper.” But Ryan Harris seemed to have a natural talent to be a broadcaster.

The former OT started building a rapport with Notre Dame and landed himself a spot in a digital postgame show for the school. Since then, there has been no looking back. But the NFL was always the goal.

“My ultimate goal is to be calling (NFL) games on television (as an analyst),” he told the Denver Gazette.

Nearly ten years after making this life-changing decision, he’s come close to checking this off his list.

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