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The Los Angeles Chargers finally got running back Najee Harris doing drills on Tuesday, an encouraging sign for the veteran tailback’s status amid the team’s continuing preparation for the upcoming 2025 NFL season, as noted by Kris Rhim of ESPN.
Wrote Rhim: ” Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris ran and participated in drills with a football for the first time this training camp, doing so off to the side with an athletic trainer during Tuesday’s practice.”
It can be recalled that Harris suffered an eye injury during a July 4 fireworks accident, which got him placed on the Chargers’ non-football injury/illness list just before Los Angeles’ training camp.
The 27-year-old Harris is starting a new chapter in his football career in the NFL. After spending his first four seasons in the pros with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the former Alabama Crimson Tide star decided to take his talents to the AFC West, putting pen on paper for a one-year contract with the Chargers worth $5.25 million.
However, Harris’ status for the Chargers’ 2025 season opener is still up in the air, with Rhim noting that Los Angeles head coach Jim Harbaugh “has been noncommittal” about whether the running back will be ready to see action in Week 1. The Chargers, who are undefeated through two games in the 2025 NFL preseason, will face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at Corinthians Arena in Brazil on Sep. 5.
During his stint with the Steelers, who selected him in the first round (24th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft, Harris amassed 4,312 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on 1,097 carries.
If Harris is ultimately ruled out for the season opener, the Chargers have rookie running back Omarion Hampton to rely on.
Although he has no experience in a non-preseason NFL game, Hampton has been garnering attention in the offseason. The Chargers took the former North Carolina Tar Heels star running back in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2025 NFL draft is seen as a legitimate candidate to become Los Angeles’ workhorse in their ground attack.
In the 2024 NFL season, the Chargers finished 17th in the league overall with an average of 110.7 rushing yards per game.
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