LATROBE (93.7 The Fan) – He’s a full participant in camp like he was in OTAs and mini-camp, Steelers tailback Najee Harris talked about a number of issues including what he was told when his fifth-year contract option wasn’t picked up by the team.
“They don’t know where the offense is headed,” Harris said Wednesday of the reason he wasn’t given another year under his rookie deal.
The Steelers 2021 number one pick said he wants to remain in Pittsburgh. He said he likes it here, likes Mike Tomlin, Art Rooney, Omar Khan and Kevin Colbert previously. Harris said Pittsburgh is a good city and the people are nice and welcoming, but said he knows it’s a business decision and said opportunities come and go in life.
“I was disappointed for a minute (described it later as a couple of days), but it’s nothing really where me sitting around being disappointed for too long will do anything to help me out,” Harris admitted as the players moved into St. Vincent College for the start of training camp. “It is what it is and you got to keep on pushing.”
“Coming out here and doing what is best for the team and having a good year is what is most important now.”
Najee said it’s not a motivator to him not having his contract extended a season. He was always motivated and doesn’t need that. He also said he’s been in this type of position most of his life.
The first time he’s spoken publicly since he was critical of the organization after the playoff loss to Buffalo, Najee said in January they needed to make changes to the team’s in-house structure and having more rules. Does he feel like things have changed this offseason?
“We are going to see,” Harris said plainly offering no other thoughts.
He seems to be excited about the addition of Arthur Smith, saying it was good to get ‘an NFL offensive coordinator here’ and praised his knowledge of the game. Harris has also been outspoken about a lack of identity with this offense, has that changed this year?
“I think it’s clear this year, me being at OTAs, I think it is, but things can change, first week,” Harris explained. “I’ve seen that happen before. Right now, it’s just go in there and just work and whatever the game plan is, is the game plan.”
A huge topic last training camp, Harris still believes running backs are devalued. Najee was clear about this in how he explained the situation where tailbacks are one of the least paid positions on average in the NFL.
“They are only devalued when it’s time to pay,” Harris said. “Me sitting here saying I’m a devalued position where there are games where I literally carry the offense. It’s not really devalued.”
“It’s when they want to pay you that’s when they devalue the position.”
A thousand yards in every one of his three seasons, 3,260 yards in all with 22 touchdowns and another six scores receiving, Harris said God is steering his life. Whether that’s here or somewhere else, he’s trying to control the things he can right now with little leverage or say in any of it.
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