Shelby Harris was excited to speak with the media Friday morning. 

The defensive end’s presence meant he’ll play Sunday when the Broncos travel to take on the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, after missing the last four games due to COVID-19. Harris missed Week 9 when he self reported that members of his family had tested positive for the virus and then, on Nov. 11, Harris himself contracted it, leaving him on the COVID-19 list for three more weeks. 

Now, Harris is back and is expected to play, even if he’s a bit limited. 

“I’ve never missed this much time of playing since I’ve been in Denver. It’s been four years not missing a game and now I’ve missed the last four,” Harris said. “For me, my only symptoms were I had the chills and the cold sweats for a day or two and I was pretty much fine. It was really more the aftereffects that kind of got to me — just like weird nerve pains and stuff that was unexplainable. I’m telling you, that stuff was just crazy. I’m just happy to be back and happy to be healthy — like really, truly happy to be healthy.”

Coach Vic Fangio said, barring any setbacks, he expects Harris to be a part of the defensive rotation Sunday, but will not “play his normal allotment of plays.” 

In Harris’ absence, guys like DeMarcus Walker, DeShawn Williams, Dre’Mont Jones and Sylvester Williams have filled in nicely. 

“Man, I’ve been trying to tell y’all we have some dogs on this d-line,” Harris said. “Y’all just need to believe me. I guess they just needed to play more in order for everybody to believe in them. I’ve had faith in these guys since Day 1.”

But before Harris went on the COVID-19 list, he was arguably on having the best season of his career. He’s totaled 23 tackles and 2.5 sacks through only seven games played this season. His career high are 49 tackles and six sacks, set in 2019 — numbers many thought he could pass this year if he stayed healthy. 

“Shelby I think was — I can’t speak to his earlier career — but in conversations with him I think he was having the best season that he’s had in the NFL up to this point prior to missing these last four or five games,” Fangio said. “He’s a good run defender and probably our best inside pass rusher. He was playing a good, complete, sound all-around game for us. Hustling, chasing plays.”

Harris said watching the last four games from home was one of the most difficult things he’s done in his career, saying “when you’re not out there, you feel like you’re letting your team down.” He added that he would do everything the same if given the choice and had no second thoughts of opting out. 

And one thing Harris said he did learn while he was out, was to appreciate the small things in life and enjoy the free time he had with his family. 

“There’s one thing I really want to say, and this is the most important thing — the time I had off the last four weeks is some of the best time I’ve had in my life,” Harris said. “The time I had with my family and my kids — that time is irreplaceable. To get that time during the season with my family and my kids, is time I’ll never forget. It wasn’t all bad. It was a great time because I watched my little girl turn into a toddler. I would take that over and over. Just want to make sure that’s known.”