Count Najee Harris among the people who feel good about the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ chances in 2024. Harris, the Steelers’ former Pro Bowl running back who is entering his final year under contract, recently spoke about his optimism following Pittsburgh’s busy offseason.
“Feeling good,” Harris told FANMIO. “We did good this offseason. Obviously, we picked up our two quarterbacks, so we’re excited about it. We think we’re going to have a lot of good things happening this year.”
The Steelers’ offseason moves were headlined by the acquisitions of quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The Steelers also added former Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Queen and through the draft acquired potential starters in right tackle Troy Fautanu, center Zach Frazier and wideout Roman Wilson.
Pittsburgh’s roster has undergone some changes, but it’ll continue to lean heavily on Harris and fellow running back Jaylen Warren. Last year, the duo combined to rush for 1,819 yards on 404 carries with 12 touchdowns and a 4.5 yards per carry average. They also caught a combined 90 passes for 520 yards while playing an integral role in Pittsburgh’s three-game winning streak to close out the regular season.
Harris was especially vital during the final stretch of the regular season. After rushing for just 125 yards in Pittsburgh’s previous three games (all losses), Harris rushed for 312 yards during the regular season’s final three games. He churned out a hard-earned 112 yards and a score in Pittsburgh’s playoff-clinching, Week 18 win over Baltimore.
This is a big season for both Harris and the Steelers. Upon extending Mike Tomlin’s contract earlier this offseason, Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney II made expectations for 2024 clear by stating his confidence in Tomlin’s ability to “guide the team back to winning playoff games and championships, while continuing our tradition of success.” The Steelers haven’t had a losing record since 2003 but have not won a playoff series since 2016, a drought Rooney hopes comes to an end this year.
For Harris, the former first-round pick has an opportunity to raise his market value after the Steelers declined to pick up his fifth-year option. Harris, the only running back to rush for over 1,000 yards each of the past three years, is slated to become a free agent next offseason.
