Najee Harris knew going into 2024 that it would be his last year with the team that drafted him, the Pittsburgh Steelers. His close relationship with Mike Tomlin gave Harris an inside look into the business, and Harris knew quickly his time would end with the Steelers.

“Me and Coach T, we’re pretty close in certain ways, so I knew what was coming. I didn’t plan on doing it,” Harris said. “It wasn’t something that was in the plan or anything, but it is a business.”

The Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Alabama, Harris rushed for over 1000 yards in each of his first four seasons, one of only 14 running backs to do that in NFL history. On top of that, Harris never missed a game in his entire career.

That durability made him a bastion of the Steelers offense since he was selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the team will now turn over a new page. Jaylen Warren, who was tendered on Monday, will be one of two running backs to lead that room. In addition to likely a rookie running back coming into the pipeline, Warren should see an increased workload after three solid seasons.

The Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option, which would have paid him just under $7 million last offseason, citing an uncertain schematic fit between Harris and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme. That came to fruition, as Harris’ efficiency was poor in the heavy outside zone scheme after darting up in a heavy gap scheme in 2023.

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