Steelers RB Najee Harris wants to stay in Pittsburgh, was 'disappointed for a minute' when team declined option

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since the team declined his fifth-year option in the spring.

The former first-round pick is taking a positive mental approach to his future.

“I was disappointed for a minute, but it’s nothing really where me sitting around being disappointed for too long will do anything to help me out,” Harris said as the Steelers open training camp. “I think that it is what it is. You’ve 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.”

Harris added that the Steelers said part of the reason the club declined his option was that “they didn’t know which direction the offense is headed,” per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.

The Steelers fired former offensive coordinator Matt Canada during last season and hired Arthur Smith to lead the offense in early February.

Harris said he wants to remain in Pittsburgh long term but noted that it’s “a business” and isn’t fretting about the future.

In three seasons with the Steelers, Harris has surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in each campaign. However, the numbers have come with a lot of volume rather than explosive plays. He’s averaged 3.9 yards per attempt on 834 carries over his career.

The 26-year-old said that the club declining his fifth-year option doesn’t provide any additional motivation.

“I don’t need somebody to tell me what I can and can’t do,” he said. “That doesn’t motivate me or anything. I’ve already had my motivation since I was a kid. It’s nothing new to me. I’ve been in this spotlight and this position pretty much all my life, ever since I was a kid. This is nothing new just more cameras and interviews and questions.”

Under Smith, the Steelers figure to split carries between Harris and the more explosive Jaylen Warren in 2024, with the latter possibly siphoning off a larger share than previous seasons.

Please enable Javascript to view this content