What Happened to Najee Harris? All You Need To Know About Chargers RB’s Absence From Week 10 SNF
After four productive seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, running back Najee Harris signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, hoping for a fresh start under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Unfortunately, his debut campaign in L.A. has hit a major setback, and he is out for the Chargers’ Week 10 matchup against his former team.
Here’s what we know about his absence and when he could return.
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Najee Harris Injury Details
Harris initially suffered a “superficial eye injury” during a fireworks incident on July 4, an issue that kept him sidelined during parts of training camp. Despite the setback, the team chose not to place him on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List before the season started.
This decision allowed him to play in Los Angeles’s opener in Brazil against their AFC West rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, where he received just one carry for a five-yard gain. Just as the 27-year-old was starting to find his footing with the Chargers in Week 3, after limited action in Weeks 1 and 2, he suffered another setback.
The Chargers had been gradually increasing Harris’ workload, and Week 3’s 23-20 win over the Denver Broncos was his most productive outing with six carries for 28 yards. But his game and season ended in heartbreak when he exited in the second quarter with an injury.
He went down on a second-down play with 5:12 left in the second quarter. As he pushed off his left leg, he suddenly collapsed to the turf with what appeared to be a non-contact injury.
While the team initially announced the injury was an ankle issue, the tests confirmed afterward that he had suffered a torn Achilles tendon that would keep him out for the entire season.
The financial ramifications of Harris’ injury are significant as well, with Spotrac noting: “His season-ending Achilles injury means he’ll miss out on the $4M of attainable rushing incentives, sending him back to the open market in reset mode next March.”
Harris finished the year with just 61 rushing yards, marking the first time in his NFL career he failed to eclipse 1,000 yards. His injury left the Chargers scrambling for production in the backfield, and while Omarion Hampton stepped up initially, he later suffered an ankle injury of his own and isn’t expected back until Week 13.
Despite the challenges, the Chargers have managed to stay competitive, winning six of their first nine games and sitting second in the AFC West, one game behind the 8–2 Broncos.
In the absence of both Harris and Hampton, Kimani Vidal has shouldered most of the workload, while quarterback Justin Herbert has also begun to lean more heavily on his legs to help keep the ground game afloat.
