What Former Alabama RB Najee Harris' Injury Means for Future: Just a Minute

The 2020 Doak Walker Award winner suffered a season-ending injury on Sunday.

Sep 15, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris (22) rushes the ball and is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Elandon Roberts (52) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Former Alabama star running back Najee Harris' injury on Sunday was a torn Achilles, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. Harris' 2025 season is over, with the added possibility that his stint as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers has come to an end as well.

Harris was hurt in the second quarter of the Chargers' 23-20 home win over the Denver Broncos. The injury was non-contact. Further testing confirmed the nature of his injury. Harris is on a one-year deal with Los Angeles, making him a candidate to depart the franchise in the offseason.

In July, Harris suffered an eye injury during an Independence Day celebration. That was the first hiccup in his tenure as a member of the Chargers. That incident was not expected to compromise Harris; availability for the regular season, and he ended up playing in the team's opener on Sept. 5 after head coach Jim Harbaugh said he was cleared for contact on Sept. 1.

A Pro Bowler during his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris recorded 1,000-yard seasons during every year he's been in the NFL to date. That trend will be unable to continue following Sunday's major injury. Up to that point, he had played in all three games this season and had 15 carries for 61 yards.

His Chargers contract was originally worth up to $9.25 million. Rookie Omarion Hampton, whom the Chargers drafted in the first round of this past spring's NFL Draft, played well when Harris went down after getting six carries and 28 yards.

It can be a challenge to assess where players on short-term deals stand when injuries are involved that take out the bulk of such players' stints with their respective teams. However, Harris has simply not gotten the chance to show Los Angeles what he can do while in its uniform. The Fourth of July injury cost him much of training camp. He did not practice with the squad for the first time until late August.

Harris, still just 27 years old, was a first-round pick in 2021 by the Steelers after the Crimson Tide won a national championship to cap off an undefeated season. In May of 2024, Pittsburgh chose not to exercise his fifth-year option despite his production levels and did not re-sign him to another deal when he became an unrestricted free agent, which he'll most likely be again next offseason.