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Shannon Harris
Shannon Harris
Shannon Harris
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Shannon Harris (born August 30, 1980) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL) and the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee State Tigers. He has also served as assistant college football coach for the Alabama State Hornets, Alcorn State Braves, and Virginia State Trojans. With the Defenders in 2025, Shannon won a UFL championship and was named the UFL Coach of the Year.

Key Information

Coaching career

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HBCU

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Harris began his coaching career in 2003, after playing two seasons with Tennessee State Tigers.[1] Between 2004 and 2009, Harris was moved through various roles with the team. From 2010 to 2014, he was the wide receivers coach at Alabama State. From 2015 to 2017, he served as the wide receivers coach at Alcorn State. He returned back to Tennessee State for two seasons before being hired as the offensive coordinator at Virginia State.[2] He was named the Interim head coach in late March 2022,[3] a perfunctory promotion that lasted less than six weeks before Henry Frazier III was permanently hired in early May.[4]

DC Defenders

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Shannon was hired by the DC Defenders in 2023, where he served as the quarterbacks coach for the next two seasons.[5]

Harris was named interim head coach on March 22, 2025, after Reggie Barlow departed the Defenders.[6] Three days later, Barlow stated that Harris would be among the Defenders coaching staff joining him at Tennessee State.[7] He clarified the next day that Harris would finish out the 2025 season in DC before he and the rest of the Defenders staff joined Barlow at Tennessee State. Harris guided the Defenders to a 6–4 record, culminating in a 58–34 victory over the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 UFL championship game.[8] Harris was named the season's UFL Coach of the Year.[9]

On July 23, 2025, Harris was named the full-time head coach of the Defenders. He will also serve as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tennessee State for the 2025 season.[10]

Head coaching record

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UFL
Team Year Regular Season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
DC 2025 6 4 0 .600 2nd in XFL Conference 2 0 1.000 UFL Champions
Total 6 4 0 .600 2 0 1.000 —

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Shannon Harris

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Shannon Harris is an American football coach who led the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL) to the 2025 league championship in his first season guiding the team, taking over as interim head coach in March 2025. He guided the team to a 6-4 regular-season record, followed by playoff victories including the UFL Championship Game win over the Michigan Panthers. Harris was subsequently promoted to full-time head coach for the 2026 season and currently serves in that role. Harris has built a long career in coaching at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), including multiple tenures at Tennessee State University, where he has served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach following his UFL success. His earlier roles at Tennessee State included positions as graduate assistant, quarterbacks coach, tight ends coach, wide receivers coach, offensive analyst, and offensive coordinator across various periods from 2003 to 2020. He also coached at Alabama State, Alcorn State, Virginia State, and Hampton University, contributing to conference championships, strong offensive performances, and player development in roles focused on quarterbacks, wide receivers, and offensive coordination. Prior to his coaching career, Harris played as a starting quarterback at Tennessee State, earning team captain and MVP honors and appearing on the Walter Payton Award ballot in 2001. He briefly gained NFL exposure as a coaching intern with the Tennessee Titans in 2014 and 2015. Harris's rise in the UFL highlighted his ability to implement effective offensive strategies and maintain team performance under challenging circumstances. His leadership resulted in the DC Defenders boasting a top-ranked offense in total yards and producing the league's passing touchdowns leader in quarterback Jordan Ta’amu during their championship run.

Early Life

Birth and Background

Shannon Harris was born in Wiggins, Mississippi. This birthplace in Stone County established his early connection to the region where he would later attend local schools and begin his athletic pursuits.

Upbringing in Mississippi

Shannon Harris grew up in Wiggins, Mississippi, where he attended Stone High School, the institution he has described as "the foundation of where it all started" for him. His early involvement in athletics at the school began in seventh grade when he served as the football team's waterboy, a role that unexpectedly launched his connection to the sport. While performing those duties and casually throwing a football, he caught the attention of Coach Larry Easterling, who recognized his potential; Harris has recalled that moment as the point where "it kind of took off from there" and where "football really found me." At Stone High School, Harris developed into a multi-sport athlete, playing quarterback for the Tomcats football team while also competing in basketball and helping the team secure the 1998 state championship. He has frequently credited the hard work and dedication required during those years—emphasizing the need to "outwork everyone every day"—as values that originated in his Mississippi upbringing and have remained central to his life and success.

Career

Playing career

Shannon Harris played college football as a quarterback at Tennessee State University (TSU). He was a starting quarterback, earned team captain and MVP honors, and appeared on the Walter Payton Award ballot in 2001.

Coaching career

Harris began his coaching career at his alma mater, Tennessee State University, serving in various roles across multiple tenures from 2003 to 2020. These included graduate assistant, quarterbacks coach, tight ends coach, wide receivers coach, offensive analyst, and offensive coordinator. He has also held positions at Alabama State, Alcorn State, Virginia State, and Hampton University, contributing to conference championships, strong offensive performances, and player development in roles focused on quarterbacks, wide receivers, and offensive coordination. He gained NFL experience as a coaching intern with the Tennessee Titans in 2014 and 2015. As of 2025, Harris serves as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tennessee State University.

United Football League

In March 2025, Harris was appointed interim head coach of the DC Defenders in the United Football League (UFL). He led the team to a 6-4 regular-season record and guided them through the playoffs to win the 2025 UFL Championship against the Michigan Panthers. The Defenders' offense ranked top in total yards, and quarterback Jordan Ta’amu led the league in passing touchdowns. Harris was awarded the 2025 UFL Buddy Teevens Coach of the Year. He was subsequently promoted to full-time head coach for the 2026 season. No detailed public information is available about Shannon Harris's personal life.
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