The Pittsburgh Steelers declined RB Najee Harris’ fifth-year option in May, meaning that 2024 could be his last season as a member of the team. Speaking to reporters at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., with players reporting for training camp, Harris said that the decision was due to the team being unsure of the direction of the offense.
“I was disappointed for a minute, but I mean it’s nothing really where me sitting around and being disappointed for too long would do anything to help me out. It is what it is, and you just got to keep pushing and knowing that coming out here and doing what’s best for the team and having a good year is what’s most important right now. Yeah, I was [disappointed] for a minute, a couple days, it just went past my mind so fast,” Harris said via Chris Adamski of TribLive on Twitter/X.
Najee Harris’ first comments to media since January pic.twitter.com/3WcJSbP6BL
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 24, 2024
With Harris now being in the last year of his contract, the team could look to extend him before the season starts or let him play out the remainder of his contract. The Steelers told Harris they declined the option because they didn’t know where the offense was headed, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN on Twitter.
Najee Harris, speaking for the first time since the team declined his fifth year option, said the Steelers told him they were declining because “they didn’t know which direction the offense is headed.”
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) July 24, 2024
“They don’t know where the offense is headed. That was it,” Harris said when asked if he got an explanation for the decision, via video posted by Pryor.
RB Najee Harris said he was “disappointed for a minute” when the team declined his fifth-year option pic.twitter.com/KwgOMsZKBD
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) July 24, 2024
Harris has the right mindset to keep going about things and help the team despite his initial disappointment about the option getting declined. Getting to free agency a year early and a year younger could help increase his earning potential when he hits the market.
It’s interesting that Pittsburgh supposedly declined his option due to the direction of the offense. The team hired Arthur Smith as its new offensive coordinator this offseason, and Smith likes to run the football. Presumably, that would trend toward the team wanting to keep Harris around, but if Smith prefers Jaylen Warren or a different style of back, it could be why the Steelers didn’t want to tie Harris to them for an extra year.
If Harris does impress in Smith’s offense this season, the Steelers could look to keep him around albeit potentially at a higher price point than the fifth-year option amount. It was a gamble not picking up Harris’ option, and he’s going to look to have a big season and cash in.
His mindset is to win and help the team, which is where it should be heading into the season. With a new-look offense, Harris’ contributions on the ground are going to be important to the success of the offense. Not being weighed down or upset over his option being declined and focusing on football will help the Steelers and could help him when it comes time to sign a new contract next offseason.
