Steelers RB Najee Harris Gets Caught in Penguins Drama
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't doing much right now. As they prepare for training camp, they're in the quietest time of the offseason, working away from the facility before heading to Saint Vincent College at the end of the month. But somehow, Najee Harris is being dragged into drama in a sport he's not even a part of.
As the Pittsburgh Penguins wrap up free agency, there was one major signing that stuck out to fans. After a lackluster season, the Penguins were in need of change, and one position stuck out the most when looking for ways to upgrade. That position was goalie.
Instead of making a move for a new face, though, the team retained Tristian Jarry for another five years. Immediately, the reactions started coming in, including a well-known radio host who brought up Harris when talking about the Penguins' new deal.
"It's the most aggravated and angered I have been by a team's move in this town since the Steelers used a first-round pick on Najee [Harris]," 93.7 The Fan host Andrew Filliponi said during a show. "Because all I heard then was don't use first-round picks on running backs. They're not durable. They don't last. You can find running backs anywhere. And all of that was right. And then for two weeks, I heard the same conversation about goalies, based on what people believed Kyle Dubas believed in."
Harris caught plenty of criticism when he became the earliest running back drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since he arrived in Pittsburgh, he's rushed for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and made a Pro Bowl as a rookie.
He's now entering his third season, but did deal with a foot injury last season that hindered his early-season performance.
As for Jarry, he's dealt with injuries on multiple occasions over the last three seasons, including a foot injury in 2022 that kept him out of the playoff series with the New York Rangers.
"You've now attached yourself to a goalie who's not durable and hasn't come through in big games for a half-decade for a decent price," Filliponi continued.
Harris will continue to be used as a reference point for bad moves in the city of Pittsburgh, but he isn't viewed the same within the team. The Steelers' offense will revolve around the running game in 2023, and Harris's success will determine much of the overall outcome of this team's season.
Jarry's play will do the same for the Penguins. We'll wait and see how both turn out.
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