Is Najee Harris in an arm sling a non-story or a concern?
Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on Monday that observers spotted Steelers RB Najee Harris wearing a sling on his right arm. The fourth-year back recorded 23 touches in Sunday’s win, but never appeared to miss a snap due to injury. In fact, he closed out the game stronger than he played in the first three quarters.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made no note of Harris experiencing any discomfort during his postgame remarks. He did note that he pulled RB Jaylen Warren from the game, though, which makes Harris’ availability even more important.
Najee Harris has been a virtual poster boy for availability in his NFL career. He has been in the league for 54 games, and he has 54 starts to his name, never missing a game. While he has missed some time in games due to injury, he has always toughed things out—occasionally to his detriment. He played poorly while trying to fight through injury during the 2021 playoff loss, for example.
The Steelers’ offense as it is constructed largely runs through Najee Harris—literally. He has 55 rushing attempts through the first three weeks of the season, among the league leaders. While he is still looking for this first score, he is one of 12 running backs with at least 200 rushing yards.
Batko noted that Harris donning a sling on his arm “could be little more than a precautionary measure”, but the Steelers haven’t had the best injury luck so far this year. Part of the reason Harris is tied for sixth in the league in touches is because the team needs him.
And part of the reason they need so much of him is because of Jaylen Warren not being 100 percent. While Cordarrelle Patterson showed he still has life in those legs on some rushes, he is obviously not a feature back. He only had one game with 10-plus touches all of last season, but I’m sure he wouldn’t object to such an opportunity.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Will Russell Wilson regain his job when he is healthy, or is Justin Fields stealing it? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
