The Pittsburgh Steelers scored 37 points against the New York Jets on Sunday night, with Najee Harris sealing the deal with a 10-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Harris has been picking up momentum the last two weeks, rushing for over 100 yards and scoring once in both games. He has 376 yards on the season and after five straight weeks of not reaching the 100-yard rushing mark, has stepped up in Weeks 6 and 7.
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Steelers running back Najee Harris carries the football during a regular season home game in Pittsburgh, PA.
After drafting Harris 24th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh's running back rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. Harris, despite being slower than some running backs, showed his strength and power in running the ball through defenders. Before the beginning of this season in May, a report came out stating the Steelers wouldn't be picking up Harris' fifth-year option, allowing him to become a free agent after the 2024 season.
Following a disappointing 2023 season, the Steelers made a lot of major changes to the offense. The whole quarterback room was cleaned out, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were signed, Diontae Johnson was traded, and Arthur Smith came in as the new offensive coordinator. The Steelers wanted to see how well Harris would blend in before fully committing to him, thus declining his fifth-year option.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren carries the ball during a 2023 game on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
Another question was if Jaylen Warren would take on a bigger role in the Steelers' offense after an impressive 2023 season. Warren rushed for 784 yards and brought quickness to the running game, while also being a tough ball-carrier to take down. Fans seemed to prefer Warren's style of running at times when Harris wouldn't hit the holes as fast.
Harris has been finding room to run behind an offensive line that's had to deal with injuries this season. He's been carrying guys to push for more yards and can bounce to the outside to get a big run. Although Harris has two touchdowns in 2024, he's been super close to getting more. However, the Steelers' red zone offense is still trying to figure it out.
Harris brings toughness to the rushing game and that's something that's been a part of Pittsburgh football for a while. If Harris continues to improve his game each week, it'll make fans wonder if the Steelers will end up regretting the decision on not picking up Harris' fifth-year option. In fact, the team already might. He can only continue to prove the organization wrong and get a great deal signed in the offseason.
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Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson prepares to make a throw as the team practices during offseason activities at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers' Wilson Could Continue To Help The Running Game
Wilson had a shaky start to the beginning of the Jets game, which made sense since he hadn't played in a true football game for a while. Wilson finally got the passing game going, throwing for 264 yards and two total touchdowns, while also rushing for one on a quarterback sneak. George Pickens also had a great night with five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Opening up the offense to throw more relieved the rushing game. The Jets started to play off, now knowing Wilson was getting comfortable and could throw the ball. This allowed Harris and Warren to have bigger run plays instead of being stuffed for the most part.
With Fields, he was more of a rushing threat, so teams would stack the box against the Steelers' offense, creating more trouble for the rushing game. If the Steelers continue to create threats both in the air and on the ground, Harris could break out this season, and not having him for less than $7 million in 2025 could be something that is looked back on as a poor decision.
Do you think Harris' fifth year option should've been picked up? Or did the Steelers make the right decision? Let us know in the comments below!
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