Houston Texans rookie linebacker Christian Harris is already the talk of the town this year with his size and explosive growth. Harris’ first season, he finished with 60 tackles, four sacks, one interception, two QB hits, and four fumbles in 10 games (nine starts). On top of this great base, Harris’s second season was even better. He started 12 of the 16 games and recorded 101 tackles with 65 solo stops crazy stuff. The third-round selection from Alabama was a sideline-to-sideline defense worth owning and showed off the instincts Texans fans will love. The first player with a pick-six & sack in a playoff game since J.J. Watt in 2011.

“I feel like I’m coming along pretty well, just trying to stay consistent week to week,” Harris opined. But underneath his razor-sharp intuitions and furious speed is the constant support and mentoring of two very special people: his parents.

 Who Are Jefferson and Ramona Harris?

Jefferson and Ramona Harris are Baton Rouge residents who influenced their son’s path to the NFL. They were married in Louisiana and loved sports and community work. Jefferson is a retired coach and athletic trainer; Ramona is a graduate of LSU Shreveport who has worked in education and youth mentorship.

They raised their kids in a small household and taught them to be disciplined, determined, and stubborn. Christian Harris is their youngest son. He has an older brother, Tylor, who was also a football player at Wake Forest University and with the Seattle Seahawks. This athletic tradition and home-based nurturing gave Christian his professional foundation.

The Harris fam went to every game, some from quite a distance—they followed Christian to college at Alabama and Tylor to Wake Forest while he was with the Seahawks. This hard support base was what forged Christian’s grit and drive in the NFL. Reflecting on his parents’ influence, Christian acknowledges the role they played in his wonderful career. “Everything I’ve achieved on the field is because of the love, discipline, and guidance you both gave me off the field. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.”

Both Jefferson and Ramona have stood by their children. Jefferson was a former track coach, with his stopwatch always on the sidelines at practice, and Ramona made time to attend her sons’ games as well. They grew up together in a world where sport was more than a hobby: it was a family affair.

How did the Harris household mold Christian’s NFL career?

Christian Harris’ journey started on the track when he wore his first pair of running shoes when he was five years old. “My parents were coaches on that team,” Christian shared. “I had a lot of that to boost my speed up.” With Jefferson coaching him and Ramona watching on, Christian mastered his 4.44-mph speed that is leaving NFL receivers gasping.

On Saturdays, there were long track meets or football games in the Harris family, and then a family talk about what went well and what didn’t. “Dad always reminded me that hard work beats talent every day,” Christian said. Jefferson’s coaching background gave him a way to break down plays, and Ramona’s love of children balanced things out. Harris even has an abundance of love for his granny,

And as Christian progressed through youth leagues and to mega-state Alabama, his parents were there for him. They went to all the games, snow or shine, and even made the trip up to Tuscaloosa to watch his college games. Ramona, a lifetime LSU fan, said she “had to switch loyalties when Christian played for Alabama.”

In addition to inculcating the basics of sport, the Harris family also developed Christian’s grit. “Mom always told me, ‘Don’t let the bad games define you; let them refine you’,” he laughed. The lessons have stuck with him. And even today, as Christian fights through the torments of the NFL, Jefferson and Ramona are his lifeline of wisdom and support.”It’s everything to have them come to the games and experience it,” Christian opined. “They’ve been my biggest fans since day one.”

Jefferson and Ramona Harris live the word “team effort.” While Christian dazzles on the field, it’s clear that his success is a family victory.