Steelers’ Najee Harris — again — reiterates he’s not concerned with heavy workload

His usual post-practice Friday session with media was moved from in-person outdoors to a Zoom format.

But for Najee Harris, one thing remained the same: fielding questions about whether he is concerned about the heavy workload he has shouldered as a rookie running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“You guys …” a friendly but clearly exasperated Harris said to reporters, searching for words. “Ever since I don’t know when, maybe Week 8, that’s been the main question you guys ask.”

It has. But Harris leads the NFL in touches with 297 through 13 games. That’s more touches than he had during any of his four seasons as an All-American at Alabama (294 was his career high in college, set last season).

And with the prevailing narrative that running backs can take only so much wear before they break down, it seems a fair inquiry, particularly to a man who is adjusting to the professional level for the first time.

Harris, though, brushes the discussion aside with the same ease he might stiff-arm a defensive back attempting to tackle him.

“I think (media) fall into a stereotype that, ‘There’s only so many hits on a running back,’ ” Harris said. “I don’t believe in that at all.

“I feel like I train for stuff like this. I really train a lot to carry the load. I train to do that. How do you train for that? I work out a lot. Stuff like this really does not affect me. Will it affect me down the road? I don’t know. But right now I will tell you that I’m perfectly fine, 100% fine.”

Harris said he relies on everything from massage to cryotherapy to yoga to keep fresh and limber for the punishment his body takes and recovery from it.

As the touches pile up during a rookie season for the #Steelers, RB Najee Harris isn't concerned about his durability amid a heavy workload.

via @C_AdamskiTribhttps://t.co/JJYygDvQaT

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) October 29, 2021

Harris played in all 13 of Alabama’s games last season as they won the national championship. He resisted the chance to “opt out” because of covid and appeared in both of the Crimson Tide’s playoff games.

A day after star Pitt senior quarterback Kenny Pickett announced he would not play in the Peach Bowl, Harris offered his opinion on his decision to play and what other college stars might be thinking.

“If that one game can help you out and get you higher in the draft and draw more attention to picking you earlier, you should absolutely play,” Harris said. “But if you are a well (established) first-round, top 10, top whatever, it ultimately comes down to your decision. If guys want to opt out because of injuries, that stuff plays a factor.

“Everybody has a decision. If it’s me, I’m always gonna want to play and not turn my back on my team. I’m not saying anything bad against the other guys. But me, personally, I’d keep playing.”

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