Najee Harris Bio
Najee Mzee Harris is an American professional football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). Born on March 9, 1998, in Martinez, California, Harris first rose to national prominence as a record-setting tailback for the Alabama Crimson Tide before being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Across his college and professional career, he has been recognized as a Pro Bowl selection, a unanimous All-American, and a two-time College Football Playoff national champion.
Early Life and Background
Harris is from the San Francisco Bay Area and grew up in several troubled neighborhoods. One of five children raised by a single mother, he spent part of his childhood in a homeless shelter in middle school before the family eventually moved to Antioch, California. Those formative experiences shaped his perspective on community and later informed his off-field work with families experiencing housing and food insecurity.
He attended Antioch High School in Antioch, California, where he developed into one of the most productive running backs in the country. As a sophomore in 2014, Harris rushed for 2,263 yards and 23 touchdowns, then followed it up with 2,744 yards and 36 scores as a junior. He closed his high school career with 2,776 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in his senior season, finishing as a consensus elite national recruit.
Path to American Football
Harris was rated the top overall recruit in the class of 2017 by Scout and Rivals, with 247Sports ranking him No. 2 overall and ESPN listing him No. 11. He received offers from several top programs, including the Alabama Crimson Tide, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, USC Trojans, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. After verbally committing to Alabama in April 2015, he wavered between Michigan and Alabama until Alabama quarterback commit Tua Tagovailoa persuaded him to join the flight to Tuscaloosa following the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Recruiting analysts frequently compared Harris to Adrian Peterson, and he was regarded as one of the most hyped running back prospects since Bryce Brown in 2009 and Leonard Fournette in 2014. He enrolled at the University of Alabama, where he played under head coach Nick Saban and developed into a focal point of one of the most dominant offenses in college football history.
Najee Harris Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
As a freshman in 2017, Harris played in all 14 games behind veterans Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, and Josh Jacobs, finishing with 370 rushing yards on 61 carries and three rushing touchdowns. He contributed six carries for 64 yards in Alabama’s 26–23 College Football Playoff National Championship victory over Georgia to capture his first national title.
In his sophomore season, Harris remained a complementary back, recording 783 yards on 117 carries and four rushing touchdowns across 15 games. He scored a rushing touchdown in four of the first five games and posted a career-high 135 yards on 13 carries against Arkansas State, providing a preview of the larger role he would assume the following year.
Alabama Crimson Tide Breakthrough (2019–2020)
With Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs in the NFL, Harris became the starting running back in 2019 and shared the backfield with Brian Robinson Jr. He produced 209 carries for 1,224 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, while catching 27 passes for 304 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. After defeating Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, he opted to return for his senior season.
Harris’s 2020 campaign was historic. During a conference-only schedule affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, he set career highs in nearly every category, including a 206-yard, five-touchdown performance against Ole Miss and a 245-scrimmage-yard, five-total-touchdown outing in the SEC Championship Game. He finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting and led the nation with 26 rushing touchdowns and 30 total touchdowns, helping Alabama finish 13–0 and beat Ohio State 52–24 in the national championship. He left Alabama as the program’s all-time leader in rushing yards (3,843), total scrimmage yards (4,624), and touchdowns (57), earning unanimous All-American honors and the Doak Walker Award.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2021–2024)
Harris was selected 24th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2021 NFL draft, the first running back taken, and signed a four-year rookie contract worth $13.1 million. He made an immediate impact, tying the NFL rookie record for receptions by a running back in a single game and becoming the first Steelers rookie since Franco Harris in 1972 to record a rushing touchdown and 100 rushing yards in each of his first five games. He closed the year with 1,200 rushing yards, 467 receiving yards, and 10 total touchdowns, leading all NFL running backs in receptions while earning Pro Bowl alternate and PFWA All-Rookie Team honors.
In 2022, Harris became the first Steelers player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons, finishing with 1,038 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns. He extended that streak in 2023, making him the only running back in franchise history to start his career with three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Pittsburgh declined his fifth-year option in May 2024, and he played out his final season with 1,043 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns before joining the Los Angeles Chargers in March 2025.
Los Angeles Chargers Era (2025–Present)
On March 12, 2025, Harris signed a one-year, $9.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, joining a backfield looking to add a veteran workhorse. His 2025 season was cut short on September 21, when he tore his Achilles tendon during a Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos, ending his year.
Driving Style and Strengths
Harris combines a thick, powerful frame with reliable hands out of the backfield, making him effective as both an interior runner and a passing-down option. His vision, contact balance, and pass-protection willingness have allowed him to stay on the field in every situation, while his ability to handle a heavy workload has been a defining trait of his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Harris is the only Steelers running back ever to begin his career with three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons and set the franchise rookie record for receptions in a game. He is also Alabama’s all-time leader in rushing yards, total scrimmage yards, and touchdowns, and his 2020 season included a record-tying five-touchdown performance against Ole Miss and a national championship victory over Ohio State.
Najee Harris Career Wins
Across his college and professional career, Najee Harris has accumulated a deep list of team and individual achievements. He won two College Football Playoff national championships with Alabama in 2017 and 2020, claimed the 2020 Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back, and earned a Pro Bowl selection and PFWA All-Rookie Team honors as a rookie with Pittsburgh in 2021.
Alabama Crimson Tide Highlights
During his four seasons in Tuscaloosa, Harris won two national championships, was named a unanimous All-American in 2020, and earned First-team All-SEC and Second-team All-SEC recognition. He finished his career as Alabama’s all-time leader in rushing yards, total scrimmage yards, and touchdowns, and led the nation in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns during the 2020 season.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his college accolades, Harris set franchise milestones with the Pittsburgh Steelers by becoming the first player in team history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons. He also led all NFL running backs in receptions during his rookie year and tied the league’s rookie record for catches by a running back in a single game.
Najee Harris Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Harris is one of five children raised by a single mother, and the family experienced homelessness during his middle school years. Those experiences shaped his commitment to giving back, including hosting a draft-day party for children at the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program, the homeless shelter where he once lived.
Personal Life
Harris graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Consumer Sciences in 2020. In 2021, he founded the nonprofit Da’ Bigger Picture Foundation with assistance from California governor Gavin Newsom, an organization that supports families affected by homelessness and hunger. He also signed with Beast Mode Marketing, the agency of former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch.
2025 Season Performance
Harris entered 2025 with the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year, $9.5 million contract, expected to anchor the ground game. Through the early weeks of the season, he began establishing a role in the Chargers’ offense before suffering a torn Achilles tendon during a Week 3 victory over the Denver Broncos on September 21, an injury that ended his season.
The injury leaves Harris facing a lengthy recovery, and his future contract status beyond 2025 remains uncertain. The Chargers will likely turn to their remaining running back options to carry the rushing load for the rest of the year while Harris focuses on rehabilitation.