Drafted by Chicago in 2005, Harris was traded to Carolina in 2007. He played three seasons with the Panthers before he was traded back to the Bears prior to the 2010 season.
Now, after he was released by Chicago on October 27, Harris is a Detroit Lion and suddenly a rival of his former teammates and friends.
"You've just got to be able to adapt," said Harris. "You've got to be able to flip the switch. This is a business and I'm very aware of that. I know that now. I've tried to conduct myself as such.
"Knowing that it's a business, it's not too hard for me to flip the switch and be rooting against them and trying to beat them."
This definitely won't be a gentleman's game.
Detroit took a 24-13 victory from Chicago on Monday Night Football October 10. At the time, the loss dropped the Bears to 2-3 on the season and had many doubting their abilities to contend for the division.
Since that game, the Bears have won three straight games, now just one game behind the second-place Lions. A win for Chicago on Sunday would tie the teams at 6-3.
"Offensively, they’re protecting the quarterback better," said Harris of his former team. "They’re putting up more points. They’re better on third downs. Defensively, they’re doing a lot better stopping the run, eliminating big plays."
The key for the Lions will be to generate pressure up front, keeping quarterback Jay Cutler from getting too comfortable in the pocket.
The other big factor is running back Matt Forte, who generates a significant portion of the Bears' offensive production.
"They're getting better," said Harris. "They look pretty good offensively and defensively. They're on a three-game winning streak. That's a good thing for them, but we definitely need to knock them off that."
