Harmon Wages

Harmon Leon Wages (born May 18, 1946) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1960s and 1970s. He played college football for the Florida Gators football and, thereafter, played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.

Early life

Wages was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1946. He attended Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, where he was a standout quarterback for the Lee Generals high school football team. In two years as the Generals' starting quarterback, Wages led his team to 8–2 and 7–3 records. He was a backup behind Steve Spurrier in 1965 and 1966, and was the periodic starter as a senior in 1967. Wages graduated from University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1969.

Professional career

Wages was an undrafted free agent in 1968 when the Atlanta Falcons signed him, and he played for the Falcons from to and again in . He was the Falcons' second-string halfback and third-string quarterback. With an injury to the Falcons' starting halfback, Wages began to see playing time. In a single game against the New Orleans Saints played on December 7, 1969, he ran for a 66-yard touchdown, caught an 88-yard reception for a second touchdown, and threw a 16-yard pass for a third touchdown,

Wages finished his five-year NFL career with 332 carries for 1,321 yards and five touchdowns, eighty-five receptions for 765 yards and five touchdowns, and three pass completions in four attempts for fifty yards and a single touchdown.

Life after football

Wages became a sportscaster for WAGA-TV, then a CBS affiliate (now a Fox-owned station) in Atlanta, Georgia, and then WXIA-TV, Atlanta's NBC affiliate. Wages was convicted in Federal court in Atlanta for misdemeanor possession of cocaine in 1985, and spent three months in prison. He returned to sports broadcasting at WTLV-TV, the NBC affiliate in Jacksonville, Florida, and current CBS affiliate WGNX-TV (now WANF) in Atlanta.

Wages currently serves as an advisory member of the board of directors of the Police Athletic League of Jacksonville.

Wages' 2022 autobiography, Harmon Wages:The Butcher's Boy, was written by Harmon Wages and Stan Awtrey, edited by Martha Kavanaugh Hunt. A portion of net proceeds goes to The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.