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Keagan Smith

Special to The Port Arthur News

For many professional athletes, adjusting to life post-retirement creates a full-blown identity crisis. Port Arthur native Duriel Harris, who spent the better part of a decade catching passes in the NFL, knows the feeling all too well.

The 69-year-old said his 40-yard dash time isn’t what it once was, but he wants the world to know there’s no age limit on his latest endeavor. After a long search for post-career purpose, Harris’ passion for farming and ranching shines bright as he manages his beef business, Harris Cattle Company.

“I had two childhood dreams in life,” Harris said. “One was to be a professional football player. And nobody knows but my family, but the other was to just be a farmer or a cowboy — a real cowboy.

“As a Dallas Cowboy, I got to achieve that first goal. Usually that’s enough for me to feel blessed, but to get to do the two things in life that you wanted to do is so fulfilling.”

The former third-round wide receiver tallied over 5,000 career yards and 20 touchdowns as a member of the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys from 1976-1985. Almost four decades removed from the NFL, he’s added some new numbers to his stat sheet.

Harris’ business distributes local farm-raised, ethically sourced beef to 94 school districts across Louisiana and Texas. In the company’s first year as a state-certified beef distributor for schools, Harris Cattle Company has amassed over $500,000 in sales.

“With 94 schools, that’s over 100,000 students probably that we’re gonna be responsible for providing protein to,” Harris said. “I’m just completely satisfied from a personal standpoint of doing what I want to do, from the fulfillment of helping kids, and from a monetary position. It’s a win-win-win situation for me.”

His journey from professional football player to the face of a growing beef brand was born of what Harris calls selfish reasons — he just wanted to own a ranch where he could enjoy peace and quiet while taking care of animals.

Harris said that when he lived in Beaumont after his playing days, he often drove past farmers and their livestock on the outskirts of the city. When he had the time, he would park on the shoulder of the road and watch the cattle from afar.

“One day I’m sitting there,” Harris said. “I told myself, ”You know, you’ve got this pretty bad, Duriel. You got to go and get your own ranch, so you don’t have to park out here in front of someone else’s.” Once I had that conversation with myself, I started looking for land.

“I ended up in Louisiana, in a little place called Belair Cove, which is known for all the farms in the area. I love it because Louisiana is known for its hospitality and great food. I enjoy the food, the gumbos, the crawfish, and I’m only a couple hours from Port Arthur.”

Once Harris bought his ranch in 2012, he began learning the ropes of a farmer’s lifestyle. Over the following years, he purchased cattle and chickens as he developed a deep knowledge of best practices to raise his livestock.

On Harris’ ranch as well as the others he works alongside, he strives to use sustainable practices such as no-till regenerative farming to maintain healthy pastures with minimal toxins and fewer atmospheric emissions. Additionally, all of his cattle are ethically raised with organic food and no steroids.

In 2019, he began traveling around Louisiana to educate other farmers on what they could do to take care of themselves, their land and their livelihoods. Two years later, he was selected as one of six farmers sent to Washington D.C. to lobby state representatives and give input on how to ensure small producers thrive.

“All this came from this selfish idea of, “I want to retire and have my own farm,”” Harris said. “I got it, and I love the peace of mind. I don’t have anybody on top of me, no neighbors, and just being with the animals is quiet. I love it. But, after getting that and realizing I could do more to help the cause for black farmers, that’s when I started learning more about other avenues. I’ve come full circle.”

The opportunity to provide the healthiest, and tastiest, Angus beef to communities and schools across the state is one Harris doesn’t take for granted. As the son of two educators, he also recognizes the importance of schools providing the most nutritious options possible for their students.

His profound sense of gratitude stands out, likely because the former Dolphin spent years searching for a new sense of identity after hanging up his cleats for the final time. Like many professional athletes, his intense competitive spirit kept burning post-retirement.

He tried unsuccessfully to satisfy that feeling with marketing endeavors, plus many hours playing Monopoly and dominating retiree dominoes matches. However, Harris said it’s a great feeling to know his beef is part of the fight against childhood hunger — the sense of greater purpose it gives has satiated his own appetite for competition.

“In my first 10 years or so out of the league, I couldn’t find a method to fulfill me with that same stimulation as a Monday night football game,” he said. “Either you don’t feel whole or you don’t feel yourself, because I need to be challenged to bring the best out of me.

“I have some fond memories of the NFL. It was great. But now, I’m just appreciative to come out healthy. I’m just happy with what I’m doing now and getting my hands in the dirt and having the animals. I couldn’t ask for a better career transition, so I’m so happy and so blessed to be where I am.”