After spending 4 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Najee Harris is ready to put on a brand new uniform in 2025. A group supply confirmed that he has reached a free-agent cope with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Harris signed a one-year, $9.5 million cope with the Chargers, marking a brand new chapter for the operating again, who turned 27 on Sunday. The previous Alabama star has by no means missed a sport, proving to be one of many NFL’s most dependable dual-threat backs with 71 consecutive begins, together with the playoffs.
Harris, a 2021 Professional Bowler and the one lively participant to hurry for over 1,000 yards in every of the final 4 seasons, had lengthy anticipated he wouldn’t return to Pittsburgh. This was regardless of Steelers common supervisor Omar Khan stating at February’s NFL Scouting Mix that the Steelers hadn’t “closed the door” on re-signing Harris.
Talking with reporters on Friday, Harris revealed he had a sense halfway by the 2024 season that he wouldn’t be again.
“I didn’t plan on doing it,” Harris informed Kris Rhim of ESPN.com about leaving the group that drafted him in 2021.
“It wasn’t one thing that was within the plan or something, however it’s a enterprise.”
Najee Harris’ time with the Steelers
Harris grew to become the Steelers’ first first-round operating again choice since 2008, after they drafted Rashard Mendenhall twenty third general. Throughout his tenure in Pittsburgh, he showcased reliability, consistency, and noteworthy sturdiness. In his 2021 rookie marketing campaign, he surpassed Le’Veon Bell’s franchise document for many complete yards by a rookie, enjoying a pivotal position in serving to the group safe a postseason berth in Ben Roethlisberger’s farewell season.
For the following three seasons, Harris remained a constant pressure, surpassing 1,000 dashing yards annually and enjoying a key position in securing two extra postseason appearances for the Steelers.
Harris’ output with the Steelers turns into much more outstanding when factoring within the fixed upheaval throughout the Steelers’ offense. Throughout his tenure, the group cycled by six beginning quarterbacks, dismissed offensive coordinator Matt Canada halfway by the 2023 season—shortly after Harris’ emotional postgame remarks following a disappointing loss in Cleveland—and struggled with inconsistent offensive line play.
Nevertheless, as Harris admitted this week, the NFL is a enterprise, and the Steelers clearly determined to maneuver in a brand new course. Regardless of his success in Pittsburgh, it grew to become evident that the group didn’t absolutely worth his contributions. They probably desire a extra explosive again with the velocity to assault the sides.
The Steelers might safe a brand new operating again, however discovering somebody as reliable as Najee Harris will probably be a problem. He began all 71 video games over 4 seasons, persistently anchoring the backfield. The Steelers should additionally substitute his resilience—each bodily and mentally. That grit is what attracted Harris to the Chargers, as he highlighted their robust, hard-nosed enjoying fashion as a serious motive for signing with them.