Bear Digest

Tommie Harris' music video inspired from family's tragic tale

Former Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris has released the music video "Deflated," based on his own personal loss.
Gene Chamberlain|
Tommie Harris, a singer and former Bears standout defensive tackle, has a music video out for the song "Deflated."
Tommie Harris, a singer and former Bears standout defensive tackle, has a music video out for the song "Deflated." | Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Tight end Zach Miller isn't the only former Bears player to delve into singing after his career.

Defensive tackle Tommie Harris has a song and music video with a deeply personal theme that is now gaining in popularity. The song is "Deflated."

It's a song based on his own tragic loss, the death of his 29-year-old wife, Ashley, to a brain aneurysm in 2012 near the end of his NFL career.

At the time, Harris had a 3-year-old son and 4-month-old daughter. Ashley had stopped breathing while undergoing a routine surgery.

Harris has a background as a gospel singer and in his playing days with the Bears would frequently break out into song in the locker room.

Harris penned a touching story for The Players Tribune about his loss, which occurred 41 days after the two had been married.

A book on his life was also written and was released in 2022, titled "Endure: Playing Through Life's Hardest Hits–An NFL Player's Story."

In an interview with The Oklahoman about his book, Harris talked about his loss and his song's roots are apparent: “I felt deflated, helpless,”  he said.

Harris was the key, dominant interior defensive lineman at the start of the Lovie Smith coaching era for the Bears as the 3-technique, but suffered a season-ending hamstring tear while the Bears were making their run to the Super Bowl in 2006. He missed out on the late season and postseason run.

When they made it to the NFC championship game in 2010, Harris was no longer a starter and his career ended after a 2011 season in San Diego.

Named among the 100 greatest Bears in the 2019 countdown for the team's first 100 years, Harris has made it his goal after football to make a difference in the lives of people in need.

One of his endeavors was working with the Redemption Songs program, which partners song writers with inmates to help them express themselves.

A Pro Bowl player three straight seasons and two-time All-Pro, Harris finished his playing career with 31 1/2 sacks and 56 tackles for loss.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.