Steelers Rumors: Najee Harris does not want to leave Pittsburgh

A rumor recently surfaced that Najee Harris wanted out of town. According to Paul Zeise of 93.7 The Fan, Harris 'asked the Steelers to decline his fifth-year option' so he could go play somewhere else in 2025, he said on The Joe Show.

This was quickly refuted by Najee agent, Doug Hendrickson, who tagged Zeise in a post and said his 'little birdie is a joke.

As always, an agent is going to rush to the aid of their player. This is nothing new. So should be brush off the initial report as nothing?

Najee Harris wanting to leave the Steelers isn't unfathomable

After getting his fifth-year option declined, it's not impossible to believe that Najee Harris could be a bit disgruntled. He didn't need to come out and ask the Pittsburgh Steelers to do this either.

Since taking over as general manager, Omar Khan has shown that he values business over everything else, and the decision to decline Najee's option is just the latest example. At roughtly $6.8 million for the 2025 season, the price would have been right for Harris to stay another year, but this might be less about the money and more about the direction of the team.

Jaylen Warren has been the more efficient running back for two straight seasons, and it's not hard to see a future where he's the lead back in 2025 and beyond. Both Warren and Harris are due for contract extensions, and it's highly unlikely the Steelers pay both players.

Pittsburgh has a chance to turn the page under the new direction of the front office, and Warren is the younger, fresher, more explosive running back with significantly less wear-and-tear.

If Najee Harris indeed wants to go where the money is, that won't be in Pittsburgh. Instead of playing for less than he knows he can get in 2025, it's reasonable that Harris could have asked the Steelers not to tag him if they don't have any plans to give him a contract extension.

It's impossible to know for sure what was said behind closed doors, but Paul Zeise's initial leak about Najee Harris does make sense if the Steelers continue to treat this situation like a business. We'll see if Omar Khan has any interest in working out an extension, but it feels likely that Harris will be gone following the 2025 season.