BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — With the world watching, Buffalo native Demone Harris is getting ready for the biggest game of his life.
Harris, a linebacker on the Kansas City Chiefs, is expected to be active when his team takes the field on Sunday.
"It's everything a kid from Buffalo can dream of," Harris said. "I'm just excited to be that guy to represent."
Harris, who played football and basketball at Bishop Timon High School, walked on at UB, where he recorded 108 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Despite plenty of success with the Bulls, Harris went undrafted.
He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers soon after and spent more than a year with the organization before he was released. While most of his time was spent on the practice squad, Harris made his NFL debut with Tampa Bay.
In October of 2019, Harris was released by the Buccaneers. He signed was signed to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad a few weeks later. One month later, Harris was signed to the Chiefs active roster and has played in several games since.
"I just remember when back in the day Demone said to me 'whatever I put my mind to mom, I can get it' and he got it," Ramona Holcomb said about her 24-year-old son. "Through him growing up in the projects, seeing our struggle and just wanting better and that just calls him to work hard and that's how he got there. Just through hard work, that's how he got there and through the lord, that's how he made it."
Harris made his Chiefs debut on Dec. 8th against the New England Patriots. During the game he recorded his first career tackle, taking down Patriots running back Rex Burkhead.
"We grew up playing street football, you know, on the street right next to the church," DaRyan Harris, Demone's brother said. "So just to imagine that he's with the pros and actually at the big game, it's just amazing."
"It's just overwhelming for all of us," Harris' father Tony Holcomb added. "We're blessed to have him and see his success through God. We just hope for the best."
Between his family and his fiances family, Harris is expecting about a dozen people at the game on Sunday. Back home, hundreds more have sent him well wishes as he gets ready for the big stage.
"They [my family] are my foundation, they are motivation on a daily basis," Harris said. "So I'm very grateful to those people and they've helped me and given me the strength, even when they aren't here with me physically, but they give me the mental strength to keep pushing forward."
