Najee Harris Defends His Position as a Running Back

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris shared his thoughts on the recent release of veteran running backs with lucrative deals, such as Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott. He stated that he does not believe in the idea that running backs have a short shelf life in the NFL. Meanwhile, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley was franchise-tagged. Harris expressed his surprise and confusion at these moves and questioned whether it was due to their age or money.

Supporting Fellow Running Backs

Harris reposted an interview clip of Barkley saying that the top three running backs this year, which include himself, Tony Pollard, and Josh Jacobs, were tagged to prevent them from hitting the open market and to cap their salaries at $10 million. This move could depress the overall market for running backs, according to Barkley. Harris showed support for his position mates and agreed with what they were saying. He believes that people tell running backs that if they want to get paid, they should not choose this position.

The Art of Playing Running Back

Harris sees playing running back as an art form. He stated that he loves the position because of the various things that he can do, such as lining up out wide, running the ball, and providing protection. He believes that the position is not valued as highly as it should be.

Taking Care of His Body to Prolong His Career

After his rookie season, Harris added muscle and adopted an intensive training regime, including boxing, to maintain his body and increase his longevity. He also practices yoga during the season to prolong his career and buck the narrative around running backs. He believes that taking care of his body plays a significant role in his performance on the field.

Harris believes that the running back position should be valued more in the NFL, and he is advocating for fellow running backs to receive more recognition and pay. He is taking care of his body to prolong his career and is determined to prove that running backs can have a long and successful career in the NFL if they take care of themselves properly.