Retiring a Bomber ‘the right thing’ for RB Andrew Harris By: Taylor Allen Posted: 5:50 PM CDT Friday, Apr. 26, 2024 Last Modified: 8:06 PM CDT Friday, Apr. 26, 2024 Updates

Andrew Harris is home.

For the first time since joining the Toronto Argonauts in 2022, the recently retired running back was at the Bombers stadium wearing Blue and Gold.

The 37-year-old from Winnipeg will be signing a one-day contract with his hometown club Saturday at The Met before the screening of his new documentary Running Back Relentless. He was at his old workplace Friday, along with his 18-month-old son Axton and partner Danica, to speak with the media.

“It feels like I never left. Going through this process of wanting to end my career as a Bomber, it just felt like the right thing,” said Harris, who suited up for Winnipeg from 2016-21 and won back-to-back Grey Cups in his final two seasons with the club.

“I’m excited to go through it and end it the way (I am). Even seeing Kenny (Lawler) and Willie (Jefferson) in the locker room, when you win a championship with people, with an organization and a group of guys, you’re champs forever. You remember those moments, those memories, and the guys you did it with for the rest of your life.”

Things didn’t end well between the two sides a few years ago. Harris felt disrespected by the organization for not communicating to him that they were moving on. The Bombers moved on because they were unhappy with the star tailback for showing up to training camp in 2021 out of shape and felt Brady Oliveira was ready to take over at the position.

“It feels like I never left. Going through this process of wanting to end my career as a Bomber, it just felt like the right thing”–Andrew Harris

The Argos then swooped in and inked the future Canadian Football Hall of Famer to a deal and went on to upset the Bombers in that year’s championship game in dramatic fashion.

“It’s weird to say it wearing these colours and retiring as a Bomber, but it was the ultimate icing on the cake from how I felt at the end of 2021 and going into 2022,” said Harris

It’s all water under the bridge now as Harris, who rushed 49 times for 229 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games last season in Toronto, was the one who reached out to the Bombers with the idea of signing a one-day contract.

“Once you’re closing the chapter on things, then you realize ‘I can go back,’” said Harris. “Even probably near the end of last season, I was kind of thinking this would be a possibility and something I’d want to do for sure.”

The film pulls back the curtain on his final season as a pro as he had cameras following him for more than a year. The story goes beyond football as he opens up about personal struggles he had with relationships and alcohol that nearly cost him his life.

By putting a spotlight on his darkest moments, Harris hopes it can help inspire others who are going through similar challenges.

“When you’re having suicidal thoughts, that’s about as rock bottom as you can get and that’s where I was at. COVID was dark for a lot of people, but I was really in that dark spot during COVID and it was really tough to get out even after the fact and getting back to what I wanted to do,” said Harris.

“I had a good certain amount of people there that helped me through it and I think the opportunity to get another chance to play in Toronto was a big outlet for me as well. You have to check the documentary for more nuggets, but that’s how low it was for me, it was bad.”

As hard as it is for any athlete to walk away from a game that has given them so much, Harris feels he’s in a good place today. He’s living in London, Ont., where he works in sales for a publicly traded company that makes engineered wood products for residential and commercial buildings.

Saturday will be a chance for him to celebrate not only his documentary, but his career with family, friends, teammates, coaches and fans.

Harris, the top-rushing Canadian in league history with 10,380 yards, was asked what he hopes his days on the gridiron will be remembered for.

“I never, ever left a game with regrets. Maybe there were plays where you wish you didn’t fumble and this and that, but as far as overall effort, (I left) everything on the field every single snap every single game and to me, that’s what I want to be remembered for more than anything.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

X: @TaylorAllen31