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. hit a major setback in Week 3. Here’s what we know about his absence and when he could return.
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. However, his game and season ended in heartbreak when he was forced to exit in the second quarter due to 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.
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While the team initially announced the injury was an ankle issue, subsequent tests confirmed that he had suffered a torn Achilles tendon, which 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.
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. Despite the challenges, the Chargers have managed to stay competitive and made the playoffs.
Los Angeles Chargers’ Stats and Insights for Wild Card Round
Team: Justin Herbert is 0-2 in the postseason with losses to the Jaguars in 2022 and the Texans in 2024. In his playoff debut, he completed 15 of his 24 passes (62.5%) as the Chargers jumped out to a second-quarter 24-0 lead over the Jaguars in a 2022 Wild Card game. They’ve been outscored 63-15, and Herbert has completed 47.1% of his passes in the next 6+ quarters.
Playoffs: Jim Harbaugh has made the playoffs in five of six seasons as head coach. Last season was the only time his team didn’t win at least one game.
QB: Justin Herbert finished 11th in the season QBi after having a top ten weekly finish in eight of 16 games.
OFF: The Chargers allowed four or more sacks in at least eight games, becoming the 20th team to do so since 2015. They were one of only six such teams with a winning record. The Chargers finished 30th in PFSN’s Offensive Line Impact (OLi).
DEF: Los Angeles finished the season with an 83.2(B), which was seventh in the league and the second-best defensive performance by a Jim Harbaugh-coached team. Harbaugh has had a top-seven DEFi in five of six seasons.
