The Pittsburgh Steelers have long prided themselves in being a team that wins through ground and pound. They favor a heavy run game, a smashmouth style of football that perfectly complements their hard-hitting defense. Well... that's the plan at least. It hasn't come to fruition over the past few years. The Steelers sought to remedy the problem by drafting Najee Harris, a standout running back from the University of Alabama, in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Najee Harris makes another gravity-defying leap over a defender.
Harris has been a polarizing figure since arriving in Pittsburgh. He's a reliable back who is always available. While he may not have put up outrageous numbers, he has had four 1,000-yard plus seasons since arriving in Steel City. His defenders note all the instability he's dealt with since arriving; his detractors point out he only averages 3.9 yards per carry.
The Steelers decided to decline his fifth-year option before the 2024 season, and in a few days, Harris will find himself a free agent. If the Steelers had picked up that option, it would have cost less than $7 million. Head Coach Mike Tomlin is a big fan of Harris, and some insiders think he may remain in Pittsburgh. Insider Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show told his podcast co-host, Chris Mack, on Kaboly and Mack, that the Philadelphia Eagles might have blown it by giving Saquon Barkley a two-year extension worth $41.2 million. This makes him the highest-paid running back in history. Mack said it wasn't a surprise, given the season he just had. Kaboly said he was stunned. He couldn't believe they ripped up the deal they'd given him before the 2024 season.
"It just doesn't seem like a good precedent to set," said Kaboly on the Eagles' massive deal for Barkley. "I know he's MVP caliber, but you know what that does, in my opinion? It resets the whole market. I mean, holy cow, look at it for Najee because he's one of the better ones out there in free agency, saying, 'Now he's getting 20, I should be easily able to get nine or 10.' He's half as good as Saquon Barkley, right? So it resets the market, especially at the top for the Aaron Jones and JK Dobbins and Najee Harrises of the world."
The Eagles were rewarding Barkley for the fantastic season he had in Philadelphia. He rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season. Barkley racked up 2,504 yards when you include the playoffs, making him the first player ever to rush for more than 2,500 yards. He was only the ninth player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards. He showed more than once that if he got free, he could take it to the house with seven touchdown runs of 60+ yards in the entire season. That set a league record and was three more than the next closest player.
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Saquon Barkley helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl.
Kaboly said it isn't that Barkley doesn't deserve the extension, but rather that the team just gave it to him unprompted. While people have complained about the unfair running back market over the past several years, Kaboly believes this is a drastic swing in the other direction.
Could The Steelers Go Running Back In The First Round Again?
Many fans who've complained about Harris are unhappy the team took a running back in the first round. If Harris had performed like Barkley, they would have been more likely to get on board. Most feel like a running back isn't an acceptable first-round pick.
Reports are circulating that the Steelers could try to catch lightning in a bottle with Ashton Jeanty. The star back out of Boise State is being called a "generational talent" by some analysts. The Steelers met with Jeanty at the 2025 NFL Combine. Of course, that does not guarantee that the Steelers will take him at 21, but they aren't ruling him out.
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Boise State's Ashton Jeanty hits the Heisman pose.
How do you think Barkley's contract will impact Harris' future? Tell us what you think below!
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