Najee Harris was the most prominent running back hitting free agency this offseason and it did not take long for him to sign with the LA Chargers. Harris signed an incentive-heavy one-year contract with the Chargers worth up to $9 million. The former Steelers running back carries a $5.25 million cap hit on the Chargers in 2025.
Public opinion was split on the Harris signing after it happened. On one hand, the Chargers signed one of the few players in NFL history to start his career with four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. On the other hand, the Chargers signed someone who averages 3.9 yards per carry and had no interest from his former team.
The hope is that Harris can take what he is good at and reach a new level on the Chargers. It seems like Harris believes that may happen as the former first-round pick did not hesitate to take shots at his former team just days after he signed with the Bolts.
Najee Harris on the Steelers offense:
— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) March 20, 2025
"We just didn't know anything on offense really. We didn't have any identity. We had a young guy coming in at QB. I really didn't have nobody to almost learn from on the offensive side."#steelers
🎥YT/ kcal News pic.twitter.com/DCqN6fQ33S
Chargers RB Najee Harris kicks the Steelers on the way out
Harris definitely didn't hold back about how he feels. If the Steelers were really holding Harris back in the ways he is mentioning then big things could be in store on the Chargers.
To be fair to Harris, everything he said in this clip is correct. Harris' first year in the league was with the shell of Ben Roethlisberger. After Big Ben, Harris endured two seasons of Kenny Pickett before turning the quarterback position over to Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
Having mediocre quarterbacks helped Harris' output as they were the catalyst to use the run game more frequently. However, it's a lot easier to defend the run when you don't have to respect the quarterback or the passing game at all.
The offensive game plan is a fair criticism, too. Matt Canada served as the Steelers' offensive coordinator in Harris' first three seasons in the league before Arthur Smith took the job in 2024. Steelers fans outwardly celebrated Canada's departure, so to go back and say the team had an offensive vision would be a retconning the situation.
Of course, this is how Harris is seeing his tenure on the Steelers through his own eyes. Bias is a very real thing and there are two sides to every story. The reality is usually somewhere in the middle.
The Chargers have a much better quarterback and appear to have an offensive identity after the 2024 season. However, Greg Roman isn't the most beloved offensive coordinator in the league, so it will be interested to see how that factors into Harris and his play.
Regardless, it's clear Harris thinks he can be even better in what he thinks is a much better situation in 2025.