Running back Damien Harris spent four seasons with Nick Saban and four seasons with Bill Belichick on his football journey.

In his first season playing for Saban at Alabama, Harris had a limited role with Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake ahead of him on the depth chart of the 2015 CFP national-championship team. Harris then led Alabama in rushing yards in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons before joining Belichick and the New England Patriots as a third-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.

In his rookie season, Harris hardly played. He then led the Patriots in rushing yards in 2020 and 2021. Harris remained New England’s starting running back in 2022, but he missed six games and most of two others because of injuries.

During an appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Thursday, Harris compared Saban and Belichick from his perspective now that neither is coaching.

“They’re different,” Harris said. “Obviously, everybody likes to compare coach Belichick and coach Saban, right?

“I would say that coach Saban, he was very worried about the impact he had on us as young men – people in the community, fathers one day, husbands one day. I take a lot of the things that he taught me six, seven years ago, and I apply that to being a husband and a father, on top of being the greatest college football coach of all time. And then you’ve got coach Belichick, who’s the greatest X-and-O football mind who has ever lived.

“Having the incredible fortune to play for both of those guys and be led and be taught and be coached by both of those guys, I really truly feel deep down in my heart what a tremendous impact this will have not only for college football but pro as well.”

Saban stepped down as Alabama’s coach on Jan. 10 after winning six national championships in 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide.

Belichick stepped down as New England’s coach on Jan. 11 after winning six Super Bowls in 24 seasons with the Patriots.

Saban spent 30 seasons as a head coach – 28 in college and two in the NFL – and posted 312 victories in 401 games. Belichick spent 29 seasons as a head coach and posted 333 victories in 511 games.

Harris is among the nine players who were coached by Saban at Alabama and by Belichick in New England. The other players are defensive tackles Christian Barmore and Brandon Deaderick, linebackers Dont’a Hightower, Anfernee Jennings and Mack Wilson, quarterback Mac Jones, cornerback Cyrus Jones and tight end Michael Williams.

Harris’ departure from the Patriots preceded Belichick’s by one season. He signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills last offseason.

Harris played in only the first six games of the 2023 season.

On Oct. 15, Harris was tackled by linebacker Bobby Okereke on his first carry of Buffalo’s game against the New York Giants. Harris did not get up after the 1-yard gain, and players from both teams waved urgently for help from the sidelines.

After being attended to on the field, Harris was strapped to a backboard and loaded into an ambulance at Highmark Stadium to be carried to Erie County Medical Center.

Harris entered the NFL’s concussion protocol. Later in the week, Buffalo placed the running back on injured reserve, and Bills coach Sean McDermott said Harris had a neck sprain. He did not play again in the 2023 season.

Harris is a free agent again this offseason and remains unsigned since his 2023 contract expired on March 13.

Harris is among the nine Alabama alumni to have accumulated at least 2,000 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in the NFL, joining Drake, Henry, Shaun Alexander, Najee Harris, Jalen Hurts, Mark Ingram, Josh Jacobs and Eddie Lacy.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.