Steelers rookie Najee Harris wasted no time making his mark in the NFL, setting franchise records and scoring highlights as a runner we haven’t seen in black and gold since Jerome Bettis was at his peak. His first franchise-high came only three weeks into his career, when he broke the Steelers single-game rookie receiving record. The previous record of 9 was set by JuJu Smith-Schuster in Week 17 of 2017. Najee Harris caught 14 passes in Week 3, including this beauty:

Steelers vs. Bengals, 3rd Quarter, 5:12

Najee Harris is the running back.

It took seven Bengals to finally bring down Harris on that play. Harris and Chase Claypool were the only players to play in the Steelers’ Week 3 loss, and with the score lopsided, the Steelers fed Harris with plenty of assists and he won his first 100-yard receiving game.

Not only did he shatter the Steelers rookie single-game receiving record, his 14 receptions are also tied for the most by a rookie who has also run the ball at least once in the entire NFL. He is the only rookie in NFL history to record at least 14 rushes and receptions in a game, and one of only 4 players to do so in NFL history.

But while that’s a nice line for his professional accomplishments, Najee Harris is a running back, so let’s look at some of his best runs.

Steelers vs. Broncos, 3rd quarter, 5:52

Najee Harris is the running back.

This one isn’t a huge piece, but it’s one of my favorites. Najee Harris is an intelligent and violent runner, that’s his strength. But look at this vertical cut. It’s a thing of beauty for someone as big and powerful as Najee Harris. He thus cut his 4 downfield yards in a flash. He trails defenders a few more yards, but that cut is the star of this run.

Steelers at Browns3rd quarter, 3:43

Najee Harris is the running back.

Najee Harris absolutely burned Cleveland in 2021, gaining 326 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns in his two games against the Browns. This is one of the best series of these games. It’s a great piece of work that deserves a deep dive. First, notice the defender in the backfield to start this run:

Harris dodges a defender immediately after receiving the ball, he moves around the obstacle fluidly and it doesn’t affect his acceleration or vision. You can see the angle he takes at the end of this short clip. He accelerates into the small gap that will exist between the two defenders closing in on him, and he has the speed and the foresight to split those defenders before diving for a touchdown. He makes this race easy.

Harris’ ability to evade tacklers and navigate obstacles in the backfield is top notch and a huge asset to a team with an offensive line that struggled like the Steelers did last year. One of the good reasons to hope for a better Steelers offense in 2022 is that the line doesn’t have to be perfect for Najee Harris to be great. He can make plays even with noise in his backfield.

Steelers vs. Bears, 4th quarter, 6:31

Najee Harris is the running back.

Najee Harris can also switch gears and do a pretty impressive impression of Le’Veon Bell like this run. Just when it looks like the defense has trapped Harris, he slips through a small crack for a 13-yard gain. Running for the first tries with a lead of 3 points and 6 minutes on the clock is huge. Do it on a piece like this? It’s incredible.

Steelers vs. Chargers2nd quarter, 3:35

Najee Harris is the running back.

And then there is the will. Najee Harris gains extra yards on carries like this because he wants more. No stiff arms, spins or jukes here, just run into the defense and take them for a spin. Najee Harris with a steam head is no fun to deal with on defense, hopefully we can see more of that in 2022.

Steelers vs. Browns, 3rd quarter, 3:43

Najee Harris is the running back.

This run is just fantastic, and how fitting that this is the run where he broke Franco Harris’ franchise rookie run record. While everyone loves the stiff arm, I’m a huge fan of its double cut to get out there and break up that open field run. Chase Claypool is one of many Steelers not to block anyone on this game, and that doesn’t matter. Harris can change direction faster than defenders and he fires two before putting MJ Stewart on the highlight rollers. Harris isn’t the most powerful, nimble, or quickest guard in the NFL, but he brings all of those traits to a very high level, and that combination makes him a fantastic runner.

Steelers vs. Browns, 4th quarter, 1:00

Najee Harris is the running back.

Week 17 was by far the Steelers’ best offensive line game of the season. The team really came together to win this game for Ben Roethlisberger, and it showed in the running game. Blockers win this game, and Najee Harris uses her vision, patience, and ultimately top speed to turn a third-and-run into a game-breaking score.

Heading into the Steelers 2022 season, Najee Harris will be a major focal point of the Steelers offense, and if the offensive line, quarterback and play calls can give him a little more help than he had none in 2021, we could see a truly special season from the talented Steelers rookie.

I’ve chosen these seven plays, now it’s your turn to vote for which play was the best Najee Harris play of 2021.