During his introductory press conference with the Los Angeles Chargers , former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris revealed the exact moment when he knew his time with the Steelers was come to a conclusion. The writing was pretty much on the wall before the season started, as the Steelers declined Harris' fifth-year option.
"Me and Coach T, we're pretty close in certain ways, so I knew what was coming. I didn't plan on doing it," Harris said. "It wasn't something that was in the plan or anything, but it is a business. I just knew that it would be my last year. Maybe like a couple games, maybe like halfway through the end of the season I kind of knew that."
Harris signed a one-year contract worth up to $9.25 million with the Chargers in free agency. Harris' downhill run style certainly fits L.A.'s offense. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is notorious for having run-first teams.
Harris, who's from the Bay Area, also returns to the West Coast. Harris believes the Chargers are a team on the rise.
"When we even played against them, I've seen the type of team they're on the rise to be, and I want to be a part of that," Harris said.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris carries the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 1, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The Steelers drafted Najee Harris with the No. 24 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since then, Harris has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons as a professional. This past season, he went for 1,043 yards and six touchdowns on 263 carries. Harris, Chris Johnson , Adrian Peterson , Clinton Portis and LaDainian Tomlinson a re the only RBs since 2000 to enter the NFL with four-straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Despite taking his lumps, he's been durable for the Steelers, having not missed a game for the team. It ultimately came down to a business decision to not place the fifth-year option on Harris.
"It was a business decision that we had to make by May 2," Steelers general manager Omar Khan said last June on 93.7 The Fan . "But Najee's awesome to have around here. Love Najee as a player and a person. Just because we didn't pick it up doesn't exclude us from doing something with Najee long-term. I'd love to say Najee was here and had a long career in Pittsburgh. He really represents us well on and off the field."
The Steelers play the Chargers at SoFi Stadium in 2025.
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