Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan said on Feb. 29 that the NFL team had not decided whether it would exercise its option on running back Najee Harris’ rookie contract for a fifth season.
On Monday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the decision still had not been made.
After joining Pittsburgh from Alabama as the 24th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Harris signed a four-year contract for $13.047 million. As with the contract of all first-round selections, Harris’ deal carried a team option for a fifth season.
Pittsburgh must use its option for the 2025 season by May 2. If the Steelers pick it up, they’ll guarantee a $6.79 million payday for Harris in 2025.
If that amount was Harris’ pay for the 2024 season, he’d be No. 12 on the NFL running backs’ cash list for the coming campaign.
If Pittsburgh doesn’t exercise its option, Harris could become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
The Steelers also could sign Harris to a contract extension before that happens.
Tomlin praised Harris after saying the option decision “has not” been made.
“Obviously, Naj has been a model of consistency since he’s been with us,” Tomlin said. “I think I saw a statistic about his three 1,000-yard seasons being rare company, and I just think that illustrates how he’s been for us.”
Harris is the 18th player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons.
Harris has 834 rushing attempts for 3,269 yards and 22 touchdowns and 144 receptions for 866 yards and six touchdowns during his NFL career.
Only three other players in NFL history have had as many rushing yards and receptions as Harris in their first three seasons — Pro Football Hall of Fame members Edgerrin James and LaDainian Tomlinson and former Auburn standout William Andrews.
A two-time 1,000-yard rusher for Alabama, Harris earned unanimous All-American recognition, won the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best running back and set an SEC single-season touchdown record for the Crimson Tide’s unbeaten CFP national-championship team in 2020.
