PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He would hint at it while playing for the Steelers and players would tell you anonymously by their votes criticizing the Steelers organization in the NFL Players Association survey. Now Najee Harris is alluding to it as he transitions to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Steelers ranked 28th out of 32 teams in a number of categories with the only A grade going to head coach Mike Tomlin. Among their C or lower grades were for the locker room, training room, weight room along with criticism of training and strength coaches.
In his introductory news conference with LA, Harris boasted of the Chargers ‘great weight room and facility’. The 27-year-old said there are a lot of things he is excited to take advantage of with his new team.
“I was telling them, it’s not like this everywhere,” Harris said to reporters in California. “This is a special thing. It reminds me of college at Alabama, all the resources that they have. Just getting the chance to take advantage of all of these opportunities is a blessing.”
“It’s not like this everywhere, it’s not. Happy to be here.”
Steelers departure
Harris said he knew it would be his last season with the Steelers about halfway through the 2024 season. He said he and Mike Tomlin ‘were pretty close in certain ways.’ He said Tomlin told him there is a business side to the game, so he had a feeling it was coming.
While not elaborating, he said he had other offers from other teams but wants to be a part of the Chargers identity of playing hard-nosed football. He did have a bit of an issue with how he was used with the Steelers.
“I’m a versatile back, it’s just certain offenses I was used in a certain way,” Harris said Friday. “Really good in the receiving game, too. It doesn’t go noticed enough. An all-around back is how I see myself.”
He also said he wants to take advantage this year of a good Chargers offensive line.