Najee Harris: Steelers need to be 'more disciplined,' calls for 'in-house' changes in wake of playoff loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers willed their way into the postseason before unceremoniously exiting Monday in a blowout 31-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The wild-card loss extended the Steelers’ playoff drought to seven seasons without a postseason win, the longest by a Pittsburgh squad since 1970.

The Steelers are 0-4 in the playoffs since 2017, allowing 41.5 points per game with a -49 point differential and a -8 turnover differential in the four games, all NFL-worsts since 2017, per NFL Research.

Running back Najee Harris has been around for two of those playoff losses and couldn’t bite his tongue following Monday’s thrashing.

“I’ve been here three years, obviously. I have my opinions on things, but I’m just a player. But if you want to elevate and get to where we’re at, there’s got to be some in-house things that need to change,” Harris said via Sports Illustrated’s All Steelers. “Coach [Mike Tomlin] always tells me just play running back. That’s a little inside thing that we have, too. But if you want to elevate where we are and achieve those goals that we want, we have to change some in-house stuff. Like I said, that’s not my place, that’s not anything that I can control or do anything about that.”

Harris made clear that he wasn’t calling for a coaching change but believes the Steelers can’t keep doing the same things and expect the outcomes to change.

“In-house rules. Not no changes or coaches or anything like that. Just the rules that are in the building,” Harris said. “We’ve got to be more disciplined. We’ve got to be more committed. I’m not saying that we’re not, but coming from a place that has structure and coming and just seeing, we could probably get help in these areas; make a change. I think that’s something that could help. I’m not saying anything about coaches or anything like that; I’m saying in-house rules.”

Harris made waves earlier this season when he called out a bland offense. Days later, OC Matt Canada was fired.

Harris, who played under Nick Saban at Alabama before joining Mike Tomlin’s Steelers, said things have been the same since he was drafted in the first round in 2021.

“When I first got here, it was just how things were. I don’t know how it was when I wasn’t here,” Harris said. “I have my opinion on things, but obviously, it doesn’t matter; I’m just a player. The guys in that building know what I’m talking about.”  

In Monday’s playoff loss, Harris generated 37 rushing yards on 12 carries and added two catches for 15 yards.

The Steelers have a decision to make on Harris’ fifth-year option this offseason, which would be guaranteed for 2025 if exercised.