Category: Najee Harris

RB Najee Harris hilariously references QB Russell Wilson’s alter ego

Najee Harris hilariously revived Russell Wilson’s ‘Mr. Unlimited’ alter ego after the QB’s dominant Week 13 performance.

Quarterback Russell Wilson was serving up ‘Dangerwiches’ on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, cooking their secondary with an impressive stat line of 414 passing yards and three touchdowns. However, Wilson wasn’t the only Steeler delivering an elite performance; running back Najee Harris accumulated an outstanding 129 total yards in Week 13.

In a moment that can only be described as ‘real recognizing real,’ Harris took it upon himself to revive Wilson’s nickname, ‘Mr. Unlimited,’ hilariously complimenting his quarterback with a nod to Wilson’s alter ego.

Wilson’s talent was truly unlimited on Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Harris’ recognition of the spectacular performance will hopefully bring back ‘Mr. Unlimited’ to stay for good. Wilson and Harris’ hilarious backstage interaction could set the tone for more entertainment behind the scenes that fans can witness on HBO’s Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North, debuting on December 3rd at 9:00 PM EST.

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Najee Harris was a man possessed in Steelers’ Week 13 victory

Najee Harris led all skill position players in Week 13 with 129 total yards and a TD, showcasing elite form in a standout performance.

Fans of the hard-nosed, Pittsburgh-style running game, rejoice! Najee Harris turned back the clock to his rookie season as he showcased his elite receiving skills, run-after-the-catch ability, downhill physical running, and elusiveness all at once in Week 13. Harris not only led all running backs in the Steelers-Bengals matchup in rushing, but he also accumulated more total yards than any skill position player from either team: 129 total yards and 1 TD.

In a game featuring elite, talented receivers and running backs such as Steelers WR George Pickens, Bengals WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and RB Chase Brown, it was Harris who shined the brightest.

Harris is currently in a contract year with Pittsburgh, after the Steelers declined to pick up his fifth-year option, and he appears determined to make a statement with a career resurgence in 2024. Ideally, the Steelers would love to keep Harris in the Black and Gold forever, as fans of the Steel City would undoubtedly appreciate—especially if his elite Week 13 performance becomes the new norm in Pittsburgh.

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Najee Harris compares Steelers-Ravens rivalry to Alabama-LSU

Najee Harris compares the Steelers-Ravens rivalry to his Alabama days battling Joe Burrow’s LSU, highlighting the physicality of Week 11.

Najee Harris, currently outperforming expectations during his contract year, is the heart and soul of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ impressive rushing attack in 2024, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, on 157 rushing attempts for 645 yards through nine games.

During Thursday’s media availability, Harris explained that he expects physicality to play a pivotal role in the Week 11 matchup against the Steelers’ AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.

When asked what the rivalry between the Steelers and Ravens means to him, Harris took trip down memory lane, explaining that it reminds him of his college days at Alabama, going head-to-head with the Joe Burrow-led LSU.

The Steelers’ RB has an opportunity to showcase his team’s desire to further solidify their place in the AFC North divisional title race, and Harris’ physical, downhill running style could be exactly what the team needs to walk away victorious in Week 11.

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Steelers RB Najee Harris among elite company in 2024

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is among elite company in the 2024 NFL season.

In his fourth season, Najee Harris is finally starting to look like the running back the Pittsburgh Steelers selected with their 24th-overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Harris is running with purpose and vision in a contract year after the Steelers declined his fifth-year option.

On pace for his fourth-consecutive 1000+ yard season, Harris is among elite company in 2024: He’s tied with Baltimore Ravens’ Derrick Henry for the most 25+ yard rushes (4) over the last three weeks. Philadephia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley joins them with three.

Harris is looking at an opportunity for his fourth consecutive 100+ yard ground game on Sunday. The Commanders’ defense ranks 28th against the run, allowing 142 yards per game and nine touchdowns this season.


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Insider believes Najee Harris is unlikely to re-sign with Steelers

Ray Fittipaldo said that while Najee Harris’ play has been great this season, the odds of him re-signing remain low.

Najee Harris has been one of the best running backs in the NFL this season, ranking seventh in rushing yards with 592 on 4.4 yards per carry.

But in the eyes of Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo, Harris is unlikely to be back in Pittsburgh next year.

While making an appearance on “The Joe Starkey Show,” Fittipaldo was asked if Harris’ numbers were enough for Pittsburgh to re-sign the running back.

Much to the dismay of Steelers fans, Fittipaldo stated: “The guy is having a great season, but when you decline the option in May, I think, you know, eight, nine times out of 10, you’re not gonna go do business with that guy when the season ends.”

He was, of course, referencing how Pittsburgh declined to pick up Harris’ fifth-year option, which would allow him to hit free agency in 2025.

Could Harris force the Steelers to acknowledge his elite performance in his contract year, ultimately earning himself a big payday with the team? Or will Pittsburgh instead choose to re-sign the potentially cheaper option in RB Jaylen Warren?

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Could potential trade target give Pittsburgh three-headed RB monster?

While WR is a big area of concern for Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, the team should inquire about Chicago’s RB Khalil Herbert.

The Steelers’ RB room could go from great, to unstoppable with a potential trade for Chicago Bears RB Khalil Herbert.  Fans of the Steel City understand the team’s identity on offense and what they do well—running the football.  Third-string Steelers’ RB and kick returner, Cordarrelle Patterson, has been injured for the past four Steelers’ contests, forcing the the team to rely on practice squad elevations to alleviate depth concerns.

Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren form one of the most deadly rushing attack tandems in the league today, and a cheap trade for Herbert could make this Steelers offense even deadlier.

As Herbert has been used sparingly by Chicago, he would likely be relatively cheap to acquire. Steelers’ General Manager Omar Khan has a track record of acquiring great talent for far less than their expected market value, and Herbert could be seen as a layup for the Pittsburgh GM.

An acquisition of Herbert takes nothing away from the team’s need for a WR trade at the November 5th deadline, but makes all the difference in adding another dynamic playmaker to the running game.

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Steelers-Raiders matchups to watch: Najee Harris vs. Robert Spillane

A matchup that is shaping up to be the most entertaining positional battle in Week 6, is RB Najee Harris versus LB Robert Spillane.

Pittsburgh’s Week 6 contest has some extra intrigue, as former Steeler and current Raiders LB Robert Spillane goes head-to-head with Steelers RB Najee Harris.

Najee Harris’s lack of yards stems from his inefficiency. Analyzing his average yards per carry from Weeks 1-5 reveals the key area of concern: 3.5, 4.1, 3.9, 1.5, and 3.0. While the Steelers’ offensive line has suffered key injuries that could play a role, the interior linemen consistently rank as the offense’s best players.

Robert Spillane has exploded onto the scene through five weeks of football in 2024. After producing 148 combined tackles in 2023, Spillane is on pace to shatter that number—averaging almost 11 tackles per game this season, putting his projected total at over 180 tackles.

Spillane and Harris have surely felt each other’s presence before—as both players have experienced the classic Steelers tradition of ‘Backs on Backers.’ Who will come out on top in Week 6?

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LB Zaire Franklin explains his Week 4 frustrations with Najee Harris

Zaire Franklin finally cleared the air regarding his frustration-induced social media response to Najee Harris’ pregame antics in Week 4.

Social media was abuzz after the Steelers’ Week 4 loss, but for all the wrong reasons. Pittsburgh running back Najee Harris rubbed Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin the wrong way with his pregame antics, flipping off the Indianapolis crowd. This led to an outburst on social media, calling out the Steelers’ running back for being “soft” and claiming that Harris’ teammate, Cordarrelle Patterson, was better.

Franklin spoke with his teammate E.J. Speed on his podcast, the Trenches Show, about the situation. Both men stated that they did not want any additional animosity but also let Harris know that next time, he should leave the city of Indianapolis out of it:

“I wouldn’t say I have personal feelings toward that guy, but what I will say is…you flipping off my city coming in and then you gonna go put out that type of performance, I’mma speak on that.”

Franklin and Speed added that their anger stemmed from having children in the stands, including Franklin’s own child.

With Week 4 in the rearview mirror and Week 5 on the horizon, hopefully, Zaire Franklin and Najee Harris can move past this lapse in judgment and let bygones be bygones.

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Colts LB Zaire Franklin has choice words for Najee Harris’ pregame antics

Najee Harris, during pregame, flipped off the Colts’ overhead jumbotron. Like everyone in the stadium, LB Zaire Franklin saw and responded.

Pittsburgh’s Week 4 contest left a sour taste in the mouths of fans and players alike. Several Steelers players wore their hearts on their sleeves after the loss. However, one player seemed to be in a bad mood before the game even started.

Najee Harris apparently didn’t take too kindly to being used as a noise tactic on the Indianapolis jumbotron. As he was walking out with his team, he flipped off the cameras—displaying the gesture to every man, woman, and child in the stadium.

Colts’ linebacker Zaire Franklin didn’t appreciate the unruly gesture and responded to Harris’ actions on social media:

Franklin is, of course, referencing number 84, Cordarrelle Patterson, who exited the Week 4 contest with an ankle injury. Patterson had 43 rushing yards on just seven carries, while Harris managed only 19 yards on 13 carries. Hopefully, Harris can channel his pregame frustrations into better rushing attempts, as this was one the worst displays in his career.

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Steelers RB Najee Harris wants praise for the whole team, not just Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris was tired of reporters making the comeback attempt solely about quarterback Justin Fields.

There’s no I in team, but Najee Harris was tired of reporters making the Pittsburgh Steelers’ comeback against the Indianapolis Colts solely about quarterback Justin Fields.

When asked what Fields showed in the second half, a frustrated Harris (at 2:28) had this response:

I think we all showed ourselves. I think we as a team showed what we can do. Not one player. Y’all always keep putting on one person. It’s the whole team. All 11 of us. Stop making it one player. Y’all keep saying Justin as if he’s the one throwing, catching and running like, come on, bro. It’s all of us. So what do we do? What did we see? I saw us all fight us as a team.

A critical snap error, which Fields shouldered the blame for, overshadowed a strong comeback attempt led by the Steelers’ new quarterback. Meanwhile, Harris averaged a paltry 1.5 yards per carry on 13 attempts.

https://twitter.com/BrianBatko/status/1840493443149373442

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