Despite being voted a team captain last season, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris was not voted one ahead of the 2023 season. QB Kenny Pickett was the lone offensive captain, but Harris said he has no problem with Pickett being voted as the sole offensive captain.
“Kenny is the quarterback. Kenny is the guy. I have no issue with that. I don’t think nobody has an issue with that, being one captain. As long as we are winning, we are not trippin’. It’s all a team sport,” Harris said on Twitter via 93.7 The Fan.
Harris was named a captain in his second season alongside QB Mitch Trubisky, who opened 2022 as the starting quarterback. So it was a little bit of a surprise that the team didn’t opt for five captains again, with two coming on offense. But Harris doesn’t have any issue with it, which is good to see.
It’s a key year for Harris with a decision on his fifth-year option due after the season, and he’s spoken out numerous times about the running back market this offseason. It might have helped his credibility if he was named a captain, but being a captain is really just a title and Harris can continue to be a leader for this offensive without officially being a captain. One thing’s for certain, and that is that winning cures all.
If the Steelers have success this season, no one’s going to care that Harris wasn’t a captain, himself included. They’re in a good position to break out in 2023, with the offense and team as a whole as complete as it’s been in years. They’ve been picked as a playoff team by a lot of analysts, and with Pickett and Harris working in conjunction on offense, there’s going to be harmony and success.
Harris hasn’t been as efficient as the Steelers would like during his first two seasons in the league, but he is a good locker room presence. It’s not a huge concern that he wasn’t voted captain this year, despite it being a little bit of a surprise. He’s going to be a key piece for this team and this offense, and I have a feeling that 2023 could be his best season yet.
If he works to get his efficiency up to around 4.2-4.3 yards per carry, he should end up having a career year. With Jaylen Warren pushing him, the Steelers could end up having a really talented 1-2 tandem in the backfield and one that’s going to help the offense be better. That will lead to more wins, and as Harris said, “As long as we are winning, we are not tripping.”
