Pat Freiermuth and Najee Harris weren’t just close in draft pick status. Selected back-to-back in 2021, the two became close friends on and off the field. It made Harris’ free agent departure more difficult this offseason. And though the team remain friends, even Freiermuth admits he didn’t love the comments Harris made on his way out the door.
“Me and Naj were wicked close,” Freiermuth told Christian Kuntz on Kuntz’s podcast. “He’d come over every single week for dinner. Not having that routine and tradition and stuff. Sitting on the plane after a tough loss. Talking, venting. Experiencing the highs and the lows. Me and him both experienced a lot of highs and lows so far in our career. So just going through that with him. But I’m happy for him and his new opportunity.
“Now, I didn’t agree with the way he went out. And I called him about it, and we talked.”
Football isn’t just business. For Harris and Freiermuth, they navigated a transitional period in Steelers history. After spending the final year of the Ben Roethlisberger era together, both were counted on to provide leadership and anchor an offense searching to reinvent itself. All while the Steelers’ offense went through multiple quarterbacks and coordinators.
But the headline of Freiermuth’s commentary is in Harris’ comments. After signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, Harris wasn’t shy about describing his four seasons in Pittsburgh. He was critical over being misused offensively and the team lacking leadership, and he took not-so-subtle jabs at the Steelers’ pedestrian facility compared to the Chargers’ fancy dwelling.
The comments clearly didn’t sit well with Freiermuth. Appearing on the Mack + Kaboly podcast earlier this week, Freiermuth made a similar reference.
“We definitely talked after his interviews and stuff like that,” he told the show. “It’s all good. He has his opinions; I can’t say that I agree. But we’re best friends, and I’m super excited for him and his opportunity coming forward.”
The mark of a strong friendship is two people who can disagree and hash out their concerns. While Freiermuth didn’t appreciate the shots Harris took at the franchise that drafted him, it won’t change their relationship going forward.
“I love Naj,” Freiermuth told Kuntz’s show. “He’s one of my best friends. I’m excited for the opportunity he has.”
Harris and Freiermuth will see each other later this year when the Chargers and Steelers square off in the regular season. It’s one of a handful of ex-Steeler storylines to watch. Former QB Justin Fields will also see his ex-Pittsburgh teammates when the Jets and Steelers meet during the fall, too.
