This South Charleston native played football at Charleston's Stonewall Jackson High School. He wasn’t interested in sports at first but improved as a junior and became an all-state center in 1970.

Although Marshall University recruited him, Harrah chose the University of Miami, especially after West Virginia University showed little interest. He played at Miami from 1971 to 1974 and used games against WVU to prove himself.

Harrah was picked 11th overall in the 1975 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He played 13 seasons, was a six-time Pro Bowler, and appeared in the 1980 Super Bowl. He retired in 1987 after 168 games.

After football, Harrah worked in real estate, coached, and moved to a horse ranch. He was inducted into the University of Miami and West Virginia Sports Halls of Fame. Despite not being recruited by WVU, Harrah says he's still a big Mountaineer fan.