The Pittsburgh Steelers officially began training camp Monday, bringing us one step closer to regular-season football games. With practices comes supposition. The Steelers should have multiple exciting contests during camp, but the quarterback duel may be the most interesting. Russell Wilson is expected to start, although he was forced to leave out today’s practice due to a minor ailment. This allowed Justin Fields to take the first reps, and as expected, people are immediately reacting to the situation.
Najee Harris has heard the modern orthodoxy that running backs are as unimportant as they have ever been in the NFL. He has the associated lack of contract security beyond this season to prove it.
But for everyone who tells him running backs are no longer as valuable as they used to be or that the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t value him, he points to the 978 times he’s touched the ball and 4,135 yards from scrimmage he’s gained for them over the past three seasons.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since the Steelers in May declined their fifth-year contract option for Harris for 2025, Harris acknowledged he was disappointed.
“Me sitting here and saying I’m a devalued position where there are games where I literally carry the offense, giving me the ball (repeatedly)?” Harris said, rhetorically, as he reported to Saint Vincent College for the start of training camp. “It’s not really devalued, it is just when it comes time to pay you, that’s when they want to devalue the position. Which, it is what it is.”
In their reasoning for declining Harris’ option, the Steelers have cited uncertainty with the future direction and focus of their offense — and where Harris’ role falls in it. The unit’s highest-profile pieces were overhauled in the offseason with former Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith taking over as offensive coordinator and former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson signed to a one-year contract.
Wilson reported to an off-site camp for the first time since entering the NFL a dozen years ago. These next three weeks will represent his first set of regular practices on a college campus since he led Wisconsin to the Big Ten title in 2011 after four years at N.C. State.
“Latrobe, I’ve heard about it for years,” Wilson said, “but to actually be here? An old-school style training camp, I love it. It’s all about ball.”
