Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris was injured in a Fourth of July fireworks explosion in his hometown of Antioch, California, in the East Bay region of San Francisco.
Harris’ agent, Doug Hendrickson, says Harris suffered a “superficial injury” to his eye and is expected to be ready for the 2025 season.
“Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees. Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season,” Hendrickson wrote.
Five people were hurt in the blast, according to a report by CBS Bay Area. Harris went to John Muir Hospital and later to Stanford Hospital for treatment.
Harris signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers in March after four seasons with the Steelers. He is expected to compete with first-round pick Omarion Hampton for the starting running back job.
While Harris is expected to be ready for the season, it remains unclear whether he will be ready for training camp. The Chargers report to training camp on July 16 and will host their first practice on July 17.
The Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Alabama, Harris rushed for over 1,000 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 career.
The Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option that 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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