Henry Burris is patiently waiting for a new opportunity after his two-year coaching stint at Florida A&M University (FAMU) came to an end last month.
The 50-year-old was named FAMU’s acting head coach in December after James Colzie III was fired following a 5-7 season. Two weeks later, Quinn Gray Sr., an alumnus of the school who played quarterback in the NFL for seven seasons, was hired as FAMU’s new head coach. Burris, the incumbent quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator, wasn’t retained as part of the new staff.
“It was something that was expected because when a new coach comes in and he’s wanting to instil his philosophy and create a whole new culture, he’s going to bring in his staff that he’s had with him since day one,” Burris said on the 3DownNation Podcast.
“Now it’s transitioned me into the position of making sure that the next position is worth it because my youngest son will be going into his final year of high school football in the fall, so really I’m putting a lot of weight on what decision I make. I want to make a decision that’s going to be better for my family and I five years from now.”
The family — Burris, wife Nicole, and sons Armand and Barron — have made Tallahassee, Fla. their permanent home base. Coaching at FAMU was a dream come true for Burris as Armand is a receiver on the team, recently completing his redshirt freshman season. After having his own playing career take time away from his role as a father, Burris felt his tenure at FAMU helped him get some of those years back.
“It was unreal to have a chance to kind of make up for that lost time. Especially when I played for so many years up in the CFL, I missed a lot of those moments with both my young boys and to see them just taking off from an age standpoint and an achievement standpoint, I wanted to be able to give back to them at any point possible,” he said.
“Having an opportunity to be able to coach my son … that was something I couldn’t say no about, just to see how much he’s flourishing. To see my youngest, Barron, who’s in his junior year (of high school) and kicking field goals over 50-plus yards on a regular basis — and on kickoffs, kicking it out the end zone — I couldn’t miss those moments. For me to be here, being able to watch them is what it’s all about at this point in time.”
Burris ended his CFL career with a performance for the ages in the 104th Grey Cup, throwing for 461 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception to lead the Ottawa Redblacks to an upset victory over the Calgary Stampeders and be named the game’s Most Valuable Player. He then transitioned seamlessly into a media career that included regular appearances on the CFL on TSN and CTV Morning Live.
It seemed like Burris was going to spend the next 20 years on television. As a household name with an upbeat personality and a mile-wide smile, Burris was tailor-made for the job. Instead, he left it all behind to pursue coaching, having NFL stints with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Los Angeles Rams before making his way to Tallahassee.
“I think it’s something that kind of comes from my family lineage. My father coached me in different sports when I was growing up as a kid,” said Burris.
“While doing TSN, whenever I did some colour commentary and those the opportunities came about, my palms got sweaty just being on the field, being … down there talking to the guys, talking football, talking the Xs and Os. (My career) wasn’t gonna be complete until I actually took that opportunity to experience (coaching).”
“I think the game’s going more transactional … but I wanted to help change that narrative and at least be a guy who could speak from experience and really help divulge into these young men, invest into them, and really create that impact that just lies in my heart — that’s really the reason why I got into it.”
Burris still watches the CFL closely, saying games were always on the television in his office at FAMU while doing paperwork. He hasn’t ruled out coaching in the league but cited the operations cap, which limits the size of coaching staffs and the salaries they can be paid, as a significant obstacle.
“To me, the game is suffering because there’s no investment into the coaches — that’s why there’s been a hesitance on guys like myself to come back to the CFL because it’s gotta be worth our time as well. I know for me, I have a family of four and I’m paying for college down here in the U.S. I’ve gotta be able to afford that,” said Burris.
“I’ve heard a number of coaches who’ve wanted to coach in Canada, but when they’ve seen that obstacle right there, it’s kind of been a deterrent for certain guys. At the end of the day, we have to do what’s best for us and our families before we continue to look at our dreams as far as coaching professional football, and that’s been a big no-go for a lot of guys as far as just the coaching cap that’s been set.”
For now, Burris is coaching young quarterbacks in Florida and expects to be doing more digital and in-person coaching over the coming months. Optimally, he’d like his next role to continue the positive trajectory he’s been on since he started with Chicago as a seasonal coaching assistant in 2020. Regardless of what it ends up being, however, it needs to work not just for him but also his family.
“Being a 50-year-old guy now, (prospective coaching jobs have) to align with where we are as a family right now,” said Burris. “If it’s not a position that’s worthy enough for me making that move and missing some of those key moments, especially for Barron in his final year (of high school), I’m not willing to make that move.”
