Najee Harris Aims to Make a Statement in the Playoffs
Najee Harris has had an impressive career so far, with four consecutive seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards. He is only the third player in the last 20 years to achieve this feat, joining Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson. However, his production has been largely due to the Steelers buying in bulk, with a pedestrian career average of 3.9 yards per carry and no runs of 40-plus yards.
Despite this, Harris has shown flashes of brilliance, with a career 2.91 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus. However, the team has decided to decline his fifth-year option, signifying their willingness to move on from him after the season.
Jaylen Warren has been a major factor in this, with 3.39 yards after contact over three seasons, outperforming Harris. Warren has also generated 51 10-plus yard runs on 354 carries, compared to Harris’ 103 runs on 1,121 carries.
In his last two games against the Baltimore Ravens, Harris has accumulated 105 yards on 27 carries, failing to score a single touchdown. With a 0-2 record in his first three seasons, Harris is desperate to win a playoff game before potentially moving on from the Steelers.
For Harris, the ultimate goal is to win games, with individual stats being secondary. “You can’t lose sight of the fact that that’s the main goal at the end of the day,” he said. “Yeah, you want to have good (individual stats) and everything, but, at the end of the day, it’s about the team win. If the team wins, everybody eats. If the team doesn’t win, it really doesn’t matter.”
The 2025 free agency class features a mix of established and developing running backs, including Aaron Jones, J.K. Dobbins, Javonte Williams, Rico Dowdle, and a post-injury Nick Chubb. Harris is looking to make a statement in the playoffs and secure his place among the top running backs in the league.